Democracy champion Khaleda Zia returns home

NEWS DESK

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia on Tuesday returned home from United Kingdom (UK) after treatment as party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led senior leaders to welcome her at the airport with flower bouquet.

The pro-democracy leader reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 10.43 am by a special air ambulance provided by Qatar’s Emir.

Khaleda Zia’s two daughters-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman and Syeda Sharmila Rahman accompanied her.

Earlier, she departed from Heathrow Airport in London for Dhaka around 4.15pm (London time), BNP sources said.

Khaleda Zia’s return brought enthusiasm across the country as tens of thousands of BNP leaders and workers and exuberant people thronged the airport road since morning to welcome her and just see their beloved leader at a glance.

Earlier on Monday, her son and party’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman drove her to the London airport at about 2:10 pm (London time), her personal physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain said.

Khaleda Zia had been to London for treatment on January 7.