Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, departed for the UK on her first international trip since 2017, seeking advanced medical treatment, as announced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Thousands of her supporters gathered to bid her farewell, causing significant traffic jams on the way to Dhaka airport.
Zia, 79, traveled via Doha on a special air ambulance provided by Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is expected to meet her during the stopover. Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, who lives in the UK, will oversee her medical care.
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This trip follows the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, after a student-led uprising. Zia had been under house arrest since 2020, following her conviction in a 2018 corruption case, which led to a five-year prison sentence.
In a related development, Bangladesh has revoked the passports of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 95 others in connection with their involvement in the violent crackdown on protesters during the July-August 2024 uprising. The interim administration has pledged accountability for those responsible for the alleged abuses, which include mass killings and forced disappearances.
Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, confirmed that 22 individuals linked to enforced disappearances had their passports canceled, while 75 others, including Hasina’s, had theirs revoked due to their role in the violence. The interim government, led by Prof Mohammad Yunus, had previously announced that Hasina’s passport would be revoked as part of its efforts to hold those responsible for the crackdown accountable.
The revocation of Hasina’s passport is expected to complicate her situation, as she currently resides in India after leaving Dhaka on August 5. Additionally, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit has instructed all banks and financial institutions to provide details of financial transactions involving Hasina and her family, including her sister Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul.
