BNP Prepares Grand Reception for Returning Chairperson Khaleda

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to return to Dhaka on Tuesday morning from London aboard a special air ambulance provided by the Emir of Qatar, as the party makes extensive preparations to receive her with a massive reception.

The air ambulance is expected to depart from Heathrow Airport at 4:10pm London time (10:10pm BD time) on Monday, with a stopover in Doha, before landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 10:00am Tuesday.

Khaleda’s residence 'Firoza' in Gulshan-2 has been fully prepared for her arrival. BNP leaders and activists from across the country are planning to greet her along the route from the airport to her home, though BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged restraint to avoid public inconvenience, especially since SSC exams are scheduled for Tuesday.

“We urge everyone to avoid traffic disruptions and allow students to reach their centres smoothly,” said Fakhrul. He also called upon police and traffic authorities to manage the situation with care, requesting party activists to stand on footpaths and not on the road. The public has been asked to use the elevated expressway to avoid congestion.

Fakhrul, along with party leaders and family members, will receive Khaleda at the airport. Her daughters-in-law, Dr Zubaida Rahman (wife of Tarique Rahman) and Syeda Shamila Rahman (widow of Arafat Rahman Koko), will accompany her along with a medical team led by her personal physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain.

BNP sources confirmed that the party’s front organisations have been assigned designated segments along the reception route. Units of Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, Krishak Dal, Sramik Dal, Mohila Dal, and others will be positioned from the airport to Gulshan, while processions or entry to the airport premises have been prohibited.

BNP said all preparations at 'Firoza' are complete. “The house has been cleaned, utilities checked, and the garden decorated with flower pots,” said Sayrul Kabir Khan of the BNP media cell. Security has been tightened, with CSF and police personnel on duty.

After 17 days at the London Clinic under the care of British specialists Prof Patrick Kennedy and Prof Jennifer Cross, Khaleda has been staying at the residence of her elder son Tarique Rahman since January 25. She had flown to London on January 8 for treatment via another special air ambulance arranged by the Emir of Qatar.

Dr Zubaida Rahman is also returning home after 17 years in exile. She plans to stay at her father’s residence, Mahbub Bhaban, in Dhanmondi. Police and intelligence agencies have already inspected the premises and outlined security measures. BNP has requested police protection and surveillance for her, citing potential threats.

Prof Zahid Hossain confirmed Khaleda’s improved condition and her readiness to travel. “Alhamdulillah, Madam is better. We hope to reach the airport on time,” he told reporters. Tarique Rahman will personally drive his mother to Heathrow to see her off.