Online Desk  :   Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman are going to reunite after a long time as the BNP chairperson is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Tuesday night for London, where her son and party’s acting chairman is now staying, for treatment. They last met over seven years ago after Khaleda Zia went to London on 15 July 2017 for treatment and spending time with her family members. From the airport, the BNP chairperson will directly be taken to The London Clinic where she will be undergoing treatment. Khaleda Zia’s personal physician and BNP Standing Committee member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain on Monday said Khaleda Zia will leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:00 pm on completion of all the formalities.

“Madam will depart from Dhaka airport on a special air ambulance which will reach London via Doha. She will be admitted to The London Clinic, an advanced treatment centre in London. She will be taken there directly from Heathrow Airport and will be undergoing treatment in this hospital,” he added. Dr Zahid said Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani provided the special aircraft of the Royal Fleet after knowing about the physical illness of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia.

The special air ambulance of the Emir of Qatar landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International on Monday evening to begin its journey carrying Khaleda Zia to London. The crew members of the air ambulance include four physicians and paramedics from Qatar. Dr Zahid, on behalf of their party, expressed gratitude to those who prayed for Khaleda Zia’s recovery. “Madam (Khaleda Zia) also thanked everyone.” “On behalf of the party, our acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, all the Standing Committee members and her family members have urged the countrymen to pray for her so that she recovers and returns amongst us,” he added. Dr Zahid said doctors at The London Clinic will see her and then decide what the next course of action will be.

Khaleda Zia has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart and eyes. “She had multiple heart blocks. We only did a minimal amount of lifesaving stent. She needs to address the other blocks she has and her chronic kidney disease needs to be addressed. She has some complications after her corona, so we need to take measures to resolve these things,” Dr Zahid said. Asked about liver transplantation, he said the liver transplant will be decided after she goes to the liver transplant unit, which is in The London Clinic. “So, doctors there will decide what the next course of treatment will be,” he added. In response to a question about treatment in the United States, Khaleda Zia’s personal physician said if the doctors at The London Clinic refer her, she may be taken to Johns Hopkins University Hospital. Asked whether she will go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, he said it is not a pre-decided decision but Khaleda Zia is interested in performing Umrah.

Meanwhile, BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman held an emergency meeting with the party’s Standing Committee members on Monday evening to discuss the country’s present political situation, Khaleda Zia’s departure for London, and issued necessary instructions. The meeting also discussed the party’s course of action if any situation arises in absence of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman in the country. With the departure of Khaleda Zia from Dhaka , no member of the Zia family is now staying in the country at a time when rumours are there that a conspiracy is being hatched to implement “minus two” formula in absence of the two supreme leaders of the BNP.