Tarique Rahman to Decide on Return After Assessing Khaleda Zia’s Condition Abroad

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Tarique Rahman will make a final decision about returning to Bangladesh only after specialists determine whether Khaleda Zia is fit to be taken abroad for advanced treatment. He added that if the current situation remains unchanged, Tarique Rahman is expected to come back soon.

The remarks were shared Tuesday evening through a post on BNP’s verified Facebook page quoting Mirza Fakhrul. Earlier in the afternoon, he made similar comments at a prayer gathering in Nayapaltan organized for Khaleda Zia’s recovery.

Khaleda Zia, the former prime minister and BNP chairperson, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka for the past 10 days. Her condition deteriorated suddenly on Sunday night, prompting doctors to move her into the ICU and provide ventilatory support.

The nearly 80-year-old leader has long suffered from heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, liver cirrhosis, and kidney complications. She was taken to Evercare on 23 November after developing breathing difficulties. Doctors later confirmed infections in her heart and lungs, and her condition worsened while under treatment.

According to her personal physician, AZM Zahid Hossain, a team of specialist doctors from the UK is arriving today to examine her. “They will evaluate her condition, and if the medical board considers her stable enough for transfer and deems it necessary, arrangements will be made to take her abroad for treatment,” he told reporters.

Khaleda Zia had previously traveled to London in January for advanced medical care and returned to Bangladesh on 6 May. During that trip, she received treatment first at a hospital and later at her son Tarique Rahman’s residence.

Tarique Rahman has been living with his family in the UK since 2008, following his release during the 1/11 political crisis. Since then, he has not returned to Bangladesh but has continued to lead the party from abroad.

Discussions about his possible return regained momentum after last year’s July uprising removed the Awami League from power and multiple convictions against him were overturned. Although BNP leaders insist he will return soon, they have not provided a specific date.

Speculation intensified last Friday when Khaleda Zia’s condition became critical. In response, Tarique Rahman posted on Facebook from London early Saturday Bangladesh time, saying he deeply longs to be by his mother’s side during this crisis, but the decision is not solely his to make due to broader political realities. He expressed hope that once circumstances align, his long-awaited return to Bangladesh will finally take place.

Government officials have repeatedly stated that there is no restriction preventing his return. On Monday, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain said a “travel pass” could be issued for Tarique Rahman within a single day if he wishes to come back. Today, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told reporters that no one in Bangladesh faces any security threat and the government is committed to ensuring safety for all.