Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Returns to Dhaka After Four Months of Medical Treatment in London

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Returns to Dhaka After Four Months of Medical Treatment in London

Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia has returned to Dhaka after undergoing medical treatment in London for four months. Her return has increased pressure on the country’s interim government to announce a date for the upcoming national election.

Khaleda Zia’s arrival on Tuesday comes at a time when Bangladesh is going through a politically turbulent phase. Since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power following student protests in August of last year, the country has been governed by an interim administration.

Zia’s return carries a powerful symbolic message for her party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), especially as her main political rival, Sheikh Hasina, remains in exile in India.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said,
“This is a moment of joy for us and for the nation. Her presence during this critical time for democracy marks an important day for the people. We believe Khaleda Zia’s return will help smooth the path to democratic transformation.”

Thousands of supporters gathered at Dhaka’s main airport and along the route to her residence to welcome her home. The longtime BNP leader, who has spent several years undergoing medical treatment in hospitals, was seen in a wheelchair, smiling and waving to the crowd.

Khaleda Zia, 78, who has served three terms as Prime Minister — twice for full terms and once briefly — was sentenced in 2018 to a total of 17 years in prison on corruption charges. These charges were filed during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure and, according to the BNP, were politically motivated.

In January 2025, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh acquitted her in one of the major cases, overturning a 10-year sentence. She was also cleared in another high-profile case in November 2024, which had alleged embezzlement of over 15 million taka.

Pressure for Election Announcement

Though Khaleda Zia had already been released from prison, her return is expected to heighten pressure on the interim government to clearly declare the date of the next general election. The current interim administration is led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

Bangladeshi authorities have stated that the timing of the national election will depend on the completion of necessary reforms, with a potential window between December this year and June next year.

Khaleda Zia is the widow of former military ruler Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981. She was the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh and one of South Asia’s earliest women leaders. Her elder son, Tarique Rahman, currently leads the BNP as acting chairman from London.

The last elected Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is the daughter of Bangladesh’s independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman