The air ambulance carrying BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia landed at Heathrow Airport in London, UK at 3 pm (Bangladesh time) on Wednesday.
Khaleda Zia was warmly welcomed at the airport by her daughter-in-law, Zubaida Rahman, and a host of leaders, including UK BNP President MA Malik and General Secretary Koysor M Ahmed. She was also greeted with flowers by Hazrat Ali Khan, acting high commissioner of Bangladesh to the UK.
Following immigration procedures, Khaleda Zia is expected to be taken directly to the hospital via ambulance through the Royal VVIP Gate at Terminal 4.
It has been reported that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will be taken directly from Heathrow Airport to the prestigious London Clinic, an advanced healthcare center in West London, where her treatment will begin.
After receiving care there for a few days, she is expected to receive further treatment at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, USA.
The former prime minister is suffering from multiple health issues, including liver cirrhosis, kidney and heart problems, diabetes, and arthritis.
Accompanying Khaleda Zia to London are her youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko’s wife, Syeda Sharmila Rahman, and her long-time domestic worker, Fatima Begum.
Additionally, six members of the medical board formed for her treatment are part of the delegation: Prof Dr Shahabuddin Talukder, Prof Dr FM Siddique, Prof Nuruddin Ahmed, Dr Zafar Iqbal, Prof AZM Zahid Hossain, and Dr Mohammad Al Mamun.
The delegation also includes BNP chairperson's advisory council member Enamul Haque Chowdhury, executive committee member Tabith Awal, Khaleda Zia's personal secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, and protocol officer SM Parvez.
Earlier, the air ambulance carrying Khaleda Zia arrived at Doha Airport in Qatar at 6:00 am(Bangladesh Time). After a two-and-a-half-hour stopover, it departed for London.
On Wednesday, at 8:29 am(Bangladesh Time), the air ambulance carrying Khaleda Zia took off from Qatar, heading for Heathrow Airport in London. Prior to the departure, Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Qatar, Nazrul Islam, inquired about the BNP Chairperson's health.
The previous night, around 11:45 pm, Khaleda Zia left Dhaka Airport aboard a special air ambulance, a gift from the Emir of Qatar.
At the airport, senior BNP leaders bid farewell to Khaleda Zia, while thousands of party leaders and activists gathered along the airport road from the afternoon to see her off.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
