Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia left for London late on Tuesday. Zia was flown from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in a special air ambulance sent by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Many supporters and senior party leaders were present to bid him farewell.
Sheikh Hasina also had to flee from power
Zia has left the country at a time when Bangladesh is going through a serious political crisis. In August 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to step down after a massive student-led mass movement. After this, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has taken charge of the interim government. Yunus plans to hold elections in the first six months of 2026 or earlier.
What is the reason for moving to London?
According to Zia’s doctors, she has liver cirrhosis, heart disease and serious kidney related ailments. His close aide Inamul Haque Chaudhary said that Zia will be treated in London. There is his elder son and BNP working president Tariq Rehman. The nearly 10-kilometer journey from Zia’s Gulshan residence to the airport took 3 hours, as thousands of supporters thronged the streets to bid her farewell.
Xia’s political influence
Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina are considered among the most influential leaders of Bangladesh. Their political rivalry has influenced the country’s politics for decades. Zia’s medical trip comes at a time when his supporters need to keep a close eye on the future of the country and the upcoming elections.
Zia was convicted in a corruption case
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was acquitted of corruption during the rule of Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, who led the interim government. Zia was convicted in 2 corruption cases during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure and sentenced to 17 years in prison. His supporters say the cases were politically motivated.
