BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia is set to leave for London on January 7 for medical treatment, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced during a media briefing at her Gulshan residence, Firoza, on Friday evening.
Before her departure, Begum Zia urged her party members to prioritize unity and democracy. In a statement shared by Fakhrul, she said, “Work together, work for the people, and work for democracy.”
Mirza Fakhrul added, “By the grace of Allah, our leader, who has always stood firm on democratic principles and national sovereignty, will leave for London for medical care. We pray for her swift recovery and return to continue leading us in our struggle for democracy.”
When asked about her return, Fakhrul stated, “It depends on her treatment. We are hopeful she will return soon after her medical procedures.”
Preparations for her travel were finalized following a meeting with BNP Standing Committee members at her residence earlier in the evening.
Khaleda Zia, 79, has been battling serious health issues, including liver cirrhosis, heart disease, and kidney complications. She will initially stay at her son Tarique Rahman’s residence in London before traveling to the United States for advanced liver treatment at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland.
A specialized medical team at Johns Hopkins, led by three expert physicians, will oversee her liver transplant. The team had previously visited Dhaka on October 26 to perform a TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) procedure to address her liver condition.
Several BNP leaders, including Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, and others, attended the gathering to extend their best wishes to Khaleda Zia.
Additionally, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, Bir Bikram, also visited her earlier in the day.
