Journalism of Courage
Bangladesh’s former prime minister Khaleda Zia remains in a “very critical” condition in a Dhaka hospital, her party said on Sunday, while her exiled son Tarique Rahman said his return to the country depends on factors beyond his control.
Khaleda, 80, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was admitted to a private hospital on 23 November with a chest infection affecting her heart and lungs, according to doctors and senior party officials.
Rahman, who has lived in London since 2008 and now heads the BNP from abroad, wrote on Facebook that his return to Bangladesh was “not entirely” in his hands, Reuters reported. His remark led to speculation about possible political or legal barriers.
The BNP’s influence has increased since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in a student-led uprising last year.
The interim administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, said on Saturday that it had “no restrictions or objections” to Rahman coming back.
“There are no obstacles in this matter,” Yunus’ press secretary Shafiqul Alam said in a Facebook post, according to Reuters.
Also read: BNP chairperson and ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s condition ‘extremely critical’: Alamgir
De facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain said on Sunday that the government would provide Rahman with a travel pass within a day if he wished to return.
Rahman has been acquitted in all pending cases since Hasina’s ouster in August last year, removing the legal hurdles that had previously complicated his homecoming.
The BNP, which boycotted the disputed elections of 2014 and 2024, has gained momentum since last August and is now seen as a key player in Bangladesh’s changing political environment.
