Dhaka: Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) stated Monday that former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia would be traveling overseas for medical care.

In an interview with the media report, BNP advisor Enamul Haq Chowdhury said, “Begum Zia will depart for London on Tuesday by an air ambulance.”

The BNP Chairperson would be accompanied by Chowdhury, who also said that Khaleda Zia will be accompanied by a 15-person entourage consisting of family members, medical professionals, and party officials. Before she left, senior BNP leaders met with her late on Sunday to welcome her.

Given Khaleda Zia’s medical condition, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has arranged for her to go to London aboard a special aircraft from his royal fleet, according to local media. The airplane has state-of-the-art medical equipment.

When the 79-year-old former prime minister arrives in London, she will stay at her son Tarek Rahman’s home. She has been dealing with a number of health problems, such as liver cirrhosis, heart illness, and renal problems. BNP officials also said that Khaleda Zia would go to the United States for sophisticated liver treatment after a few days in London.

“With the blessings of Allah Ta’ala, the unwavering ruler of our nation’s democracy, the most adored leader of the populace will go to London on the evening of January 7th in order to get medical care. “For this reason, every member of the BNP’s National Standing Committee has come to extend our warmest regards,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said during his meeting with Khaleda Zia.

“We spoke with her. Alamgir said, “I have prayed to Allah to heal her and bring her back to us, the people of the country.”

“The doctors can tell,” Alamgir said in response to a question about Khaleda Zia’s homecoming. We are unable to say. We’re hoping she’ll go home soon.

In February 2018, Khaleda Zia, the widow of former President Ziaur Rahman, was sentenced to jail after her conviction in a corruption case. The BNP has insisted repeatedly that the allegations were politically motivated, claiming that the Awami League administration planned the case to discredit her.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina suspended Khaleda Zia’s sentence for six months. After being temporarily freed, Khaleda went to her home in the Gulshan neighborhood of Dhaka on March 25 and has been there ever since.

The Awami League administration has consistently rejected the BNP’s long-standing demand that Khaleda Zia be let to get medical care overseas. All of the charges against Khaleda Zia were dropped by presidential decree after the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s administration during a large-scale protest. This made it possible for her to have treatment elsewhere.