Begum Khaleda Zia, the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has arrived in London for medical treatment.
Her flight, a special air ambulance, landed at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, January 8, at 2:55 PM Bangladesh time.
Earlier, on Tuesday night, around 11:30 PM local time, Khaleda Zia left Dhaka`s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, heading to London on a special flight sent by the Emir of Qatar.
This trip is especially meaningful for Khaleda Zia as she is reunited with her son, Tarique Rahman, in London after more than seven years.
Along with her, 15 people, including doctors and medical experts, have traveled. Among them is Siti Rahman, the wife of the late Arafat Rahman Koko.
Khaleda Zia had last traveled to London on July 16, 2017, for follow-up treatment on her eyes and legs. However, things took a drastic turn in 2018.
On February 8, 2018, she was convicted in a corruption case and sentenced to prison.
She was placed in the deserted and isolated jail on Nazimuddin Road in Dhaka.
During her time in prison, she faced numerous health issues and had to visit the hospital frequently.
Even after multiple attempts to secure bail and release through the courts, she remained behind bars.
Then, the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a plea from her family.
Responding to their request, the then Awami League government granted her conditional release after she had spent 2 years, 1 month, and 13 days in prison.
She was granted a temporary six-month release for medical reasons.
Finally, on August 5, 2020, following a student and public uprising that led to the fleeing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Khaleda Zia`s release was extended in six-month intervals, securing her freedom after years of legal and political battles.
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