Tarique Rahman’s Return Home Remains Uncertain Amid Khaleda Zia’s Critical Condition

Deep uncertainty clouds the possible return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh this Saturday, even as his mother, former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, teeters on the brink of life-threatening complications. Despite swirling rumours and the gravity of the situation, responsible leaders in the UK BNP chapter have been unable to confirm any solid preparations for his immediate departure, Daily Dazzling Dawn has learned.

Tarique Rahman, currently in London, is reportedly distraught over his mother’s worsening health. Both he and his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, are monitoring the situation closely from afar.

Notably, Dr Zubaida Rahman is a key member of the medical board overseeing Khaleda Zia’s treatment. Meanwhile, Syeda Sharmila Rahman – wife of the late younger son Arafat Rahman Koko – and Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Iskander are also at the hospital.

Sources say Tarique is awaiting a crucial green light. Once this long-awaited approval arrives, he is expected to depart on Sunday. One source indicated he might take a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from London on Sunday afternoon, arriving in Dhaka by Monday. While many UK BNP leaders and close aides want to accompany him, limited seats on commercial flights pose a major hurdle amid the crisis. Even in these trying times, Tarique is grappling with requests from those eager to travel with him. The final list of companions remains unconfirmed, prompting some to arrange alternative routes to reach Dhaka the same day.

As of Friday night at 8:30 PM London time, repeated attempts to verify whether Tarique would fly to Dhaka on Saturday or Sunday drew no clear answers. UK BNP General Secretary Koysor M Ahmed, contacted via phone and text about the Acting Chairman’s travel plans, did not respond immediately. In a brief text reply, he said he would get back soon, but no further confirmation followed. Similarly, former Joint General Secretary Kamal Uddin remained unreachable.

Flight schedules show Biman Bangladesh Airlines operates daily services from London to Dhaka on Saturdays and Sundays. However, multiple calls to the manager of Biman’s London office to check for bookings in Tarique Rahman’s name yielded no information. As of Friday night, no official assurance from party insiders suggested his return within the next 24 to 48 hours, until 9:00 PM.

In a ray of hope amid the silence, Nasrullah Khan Junayed, a Dhaka University Senate member and leading figure from the 1990s student movement, spoke to this correspondent. He expressed strong confidence that the BNP leader is indeed gearing up to travel. Junayed stated: “Based on our information, he is making arrangements to return swiftly to be by his ailing mother’s side. His love for her is certainly no less than ours.”

It is worth noting that for quite some time, internal party discussions on delaying Tarique Rahman’s homecoming have centred on serious security concerns. The initial narrative was that he would only return after the election schedule was announced, but the timeline shifted recently; information emerging just two days ago pointed to a specific target, suggesting he was preparing to return by 15 December.

Critical Medical Situation: A Battle on Multiple Fronts

The urgency stems from a sharp decline in Begum Khaleda Zia’s health. A physician familiar with her latest status reports that her condition has turned life-threatening due to cascading complications. Sepsis from a mitral stenosis-related infection – a narrowing of the heart’s mitral valve – has set in.

The crisis worsened yesterday with acute pancreatitis. Fluid overload now requires urgent dialysis. These acute issues are compounding her chronic struggles, including liver cirrhosis, which party officials and family have long attributed to slow poisoning during her imprisonment. While these medical details paint a grim picture, they await independent verification from hospital sources.

The combination of heart failure risks, sepsis and organ dysfunction has the medical board on high alert, as the nation watches anxiously for updates.