BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia returned to Bangladesh from London on Tuesday after receiving medical treatment.
The air ambulance carrying Khaleda Zia landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:38am.
Khaleda Zia was accompanied by her daughter-in-law, Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who came to Bangladesh for the first time in 17 years.
She was also joined by her other daughter-in-law, Syeda Sharmila Rahman and 13 others, including her medical team and doctors from the board overseeing her treatment.
Khaleda Zia was welcomed with flowers by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, alongside other senior party leaders.
At 11:20am, under tight security, she left the airport.
Her motorcade passed through Khilkhet, Kurmitola and the Navy headquarters, finally arriving at her residence, Firoza, in Gulshan at 1:25pm.
Thousands of BNP leaders and supporters had lined the roads from the airport to her Gulshan home, waving the national flag and party flag in a massive show of support.
Khaleda Zia responded to the crowd’s cheers by waving from her car.
Chants of “Welcome Khaleda Zia” and “Khaleda Zia bhoy nai, rajpoth chhari nai” echoed along the route.
Although party leaders had instructed supporters to stay on the sidewalks to avoid inconveniencing the public, the sheer size of the crowd made it difficult to maintain order.
Many became emotional upon seeing her enter Gulshan and stepped onto the main road, chanting slogans.
Law enforcement eventually lost control of the crowd.
Residents from surrounding high-rise buildings also joined in the welcome, waving to the former prime minister from their balconies.
Speaking to the media in front of Firoza, BNP Standing Committee Member Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, who is also Khaleda Zia’s personal physician, said: “She has returned in much better physical and mental condition. Alhamdulillah, her health has significantly improved. She is mentally stable as well.”
He also asked the public to pray for her continued recovery.
Zahid expressed gratitude on behalf of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman to the amir of Qatar and the Qatari authorities for providing the royal air ambulance free of charge.
The 79-year-old former prime minister has long suffered from various health complications, including liver cirrhosis, kidney issues, heart problems, diabetes and arthritis.
On January 7, she travelled to London aboard a royal air ambulance sent by the amir of Qatar for advanced treatment.
She was under the care of specialists Prof Patrick Kennedy and Prof Jennifer Cross at the London Clinic.
After 17 days of hospital treatment, she stayed at her son Tarique Rahman’s residence from January 25 onwards.
She departed from London’s Heathrow Airport at 4:20pm on Monday local time aboard the Qatari royal air ambulance.
Her son Tarique Rahman and granddaughter Zaima Rahman bid her an emotional farewell.
Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman have been living in London since 2008.
While Zubaida has now returned to Bangladesh after 17 years, it remains uncertain when Tarique Rahman will come back.
