SUF Mukarrema Reza, mother-in-law of late Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, died while undergoing treatment at a city hospital early Sunday. She was 71. Family sources said she breathed her last at 3:45am while receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital, Dhaka. Earlier, she had been admitted to the hospital with multiple health issues a week back. Her daughter Syeda Sharmila Rahman Sithi, wife of Koko, arrived in Dhaka from London on March 30, the day before Eid after learning about her mother’s illness. Following Koto’s death from cardiac arrest in Malaysia in 2015, Sithi has been living in London with their daughters Zahia Rahman and Zafia Rahman. Former Minister Kamal Ibne Yusuf’s wife dies Family sources said Mukarrema Reza’s Namaz-e-Janaza will be held after Asr prayers at the Old DOHS ground in Banani and then she will be laid to rest at Banani Graveyard. She is survived by two sons and one daughter while her husband HM Hasan Reza, former engineer of the RAJUK, died in 2017. In a condolence message, BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman prayed for the salvation of her departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Doctors at the London Clinic have started a 'complete health check-up for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, said her personal physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain on Wednesday. "Madam's complete health examination started today (Wednesday). Over the next four days, she will undergo various medical tests. Her doctors from The London Clinic will visit her at home for check-ups," Zahid, who is also in London now, told the media. He, however said some tests might require Khaleda to visit the London Clinic. There are several tests scheduled for the next several days, as advised by the doctors, he added. When asked about her possible return to Bangladesh, Zahid said, "The doctors will review the test reports and then decide when she will be fit for discharge." Khaleda exchanges Eid greetings with BNP leaders ‘Khaleda Zia is doing better than before’ Regarding her current condition, Zahid said, "Alhamdulillah, Madam’s physical and mental state is now stable. She is mentally better than at any time before.  Much better,” When asked about a recent social media video showing Khaleda Zia in a wheelchair at a park in London, he said, “Since the weather was not too cold, she was taken around the flower garden area in the park.”  The BNP chief is currently under the supervision of specialists Professor Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross from The London Clinic while staying at her son Tarique Rahman's residence in Devonshire Place, London. Khaleda went to London on January 8 for advanced medical care and was admitted to The London Clinic. After being discharged from the clinic on January 25, the BNP chairperson moved to her son Tarique Rahman’s residence, where she has been receiving treatment under the supervision of Professor John Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross. The 79-year-old former prime minister has long been suffering from several health conditions, including liver cirrhosis, kidney and heart issues, diabetes, and arthritis. This year Khaleda Zia celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with her eldest son, Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko's wife Shamila Rahman, and her two granddaughters, Zafia Rahman and Zahia Rahman in London.

The Appellate Division on Monday upheld the High Court order that acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia scrapping her seven-year jail term in Zia Charitable Trust graft case. A three-member tribunal led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam passed the order. Earlier on February 23, the prosecution and the Anti-Corruption Commission submitted separate petitions challenging the acquittal of Khaleda Zia in the case. Zia Charitable case: SC defers appeal hearing to Monday Then the court set  March 2 for hearing and on Sunday the date was deferred to March 3. On November 27 last, the High Court acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and two others in the Zia Charitable Trust case. The HC also scrapped the lower verdict that sentenced Khaleda and two others in the same case. Two others who got acquittal were Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary to Harris Chowdhury, ex-political secretary of then prime minister Khaleda Zia, and Monirul Islam Khan, APS to former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. On November 20, the hearing on the appeal petition filed challenging the judgement in the case started while permission was given on November 3 for preparing the paper book of the case. On October 29, 2018, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 sentenced BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment each in the much-talked-about Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. The court also fined them Tk 10 lakh each, in default, to suffer six months more in jail. Khaleda Zia, 7 others acquitted in Niko graft case On August 8, 2011, the ACC filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources. In 2012, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted chargesheet against them. 

A Dhaka court on Wednesday acquitted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and seven other accused in the sensational Niko graft case. Judge of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Md Rabiul Alam passed the order, said the court’s peshkar (assistant) Md Belal Hossain. Earlier on February 13, the court set February 19 to deliver the judgment after hearing from both defence and prosecution, he said. On February 5, the recording of the testimony from the witnesses ended while 39 out of 68 witnesses gave the testimonies. On December 9, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case accusing Khaleda and four others of causing a loss of Tk 137.77 billion to the state by signing an oil and gas exploration deal with Canadian company Niko on behalf of the state that was deemed against Bangladesh's national interests and swayed by graft. The anti-graft body pressed charges in court against 11 people, including Khaleda, in May 2008. 6 witnesses testify in Niko graft case against Khaleda, 7 others The other accused in the case are former principal secretary Kamal Uddin Siddique, Khandaker Shahidul Islam, CM Yusuf Hossain, former Bapex general manager Mir Mainul Haq, Giasuddin Al Mamun, former parliamentarian MAH Selim and former vice-president of South Asia affairs of Niko Kashem Sharif. Among the accused, BNP Standing Committee Member Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former state minister AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former secretary of Bapex Shafiur Rahman died during the trial proceedings. Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail as a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty and convicted in another corruption case the same year. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country. Following the political changeover in the country on August 5 last, Khaleda Zia, her party men and followers of other political parties are being acquitted in cases. Niko Corruption: How a deal facilitated by Tarique’s cronies cost Bangladesh over $1.06 billion On January 8, the BNP chairperson moved to London for advanced treatment and now is staying there with her family members.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who left Dhaka on Tuesday night aboard a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar, has reached London to receive advanced treatment at The London Clinic. The special air ambulance landed at Heathrow International Airport at 2:55 pm (Bangladsh time) , BNP Media Cell Member Sayrul Kabir Khan  told UNB. The 79-year-old, three-time former prime minister, departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:46pm on Tuesday, heading for London via Doha on the Qatar Royal Family's Airbus A319 air ambulance. Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the United Kingdom Hazrat Ali Khan greeted Khaleda Zia with a bouquet. The air ambulance took off 1 hour and 46 minutes late, as Khaleda's convoy moved slowly amidst the huge crowd of BNP leaders and activists lining the streets. Senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee members, saw off Khaleda Zia at the airport. The special air ambulance carrying BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also transported four Royal Qatari doctors and paramedics. Besides, six members of Khaleda Zia's medical board—Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, Professor FM Siddique, Professor Naruddin Ahmed, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, and Dr. Mohammad Al Mamun— were accompanying her on the flight. Khaleda's entourage also included her daughter-in-law, Syeda Sharmila Rahman, the wife of her late son Arafat Rahman Koko, advisory council member Enamul Haque Chowdhury, executive committee member Tabith Awal, private secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, along with other personal staff and employees. Read: Khaleda finally off to London for treatment  To ensure security during Khaleda’s departure, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) took special measures, including deployment of an adequate number of law enforcement personnel from the Airport Armed Police, RAB, DMP, DB and SWAT teams. Khaleda’s doctors have been advocating for her treatment abroad ever since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in late 2021.  

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who has long been suffering from several critical health conditions, finally left for London on Tuesday night aboard a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar to receive advanced treatment at The London Clinic.  The 79-year-old, three-time former prime minister, departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:46pm, heading for London via Doha on the Qatar Royal Family's Airbus A319 air ambulance, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. The air ambulance took off 1 hour and 46 minutes late, as Khaleda's convoy moved slowly amidst the huge crowd of BNP leaders and activists lining the streets. Khaleda left her Gulshan residence, "Firoza," at 8:15 PM, and her motorcade arrived at the airport at 10:51 PM. Senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee members, saw off Khaleda Zia at the airport. Sources at the UK Chapter of BNP said the former premier is expected to reach Heathrow Airport at 11:30am (London time) on Wednesday, after a one-hour stopover in the Qatari capital, Doha. They also said the authorities at Heathrow Airport will provide her with VIP protocol. Amid tight security from the police and other law enforcement agencies, thousands of leaders and activists escorted Khaleda Zia’s motorcade from her Gulshan residence to the airport. The entire route was filled with various slogans as the crowd waved their hands at every intersection and greeted their beloved leader. After bidding farewell to Khaleda Zia, the BNP Secretary General told reporters that Bangladesh's most popular leader, Begum Khaleda Zia, was jailed in false cases under the fascist Awami League government. During her time in prison, she became seriously ill and was subsequently admitted to the hospital. "We repeatedly requested the fascist Awami League government to allow her to go abroad for treatment, but fascist Hasina did not pay heed to it," Fakhrul said. "By the infinite mercy of Allah, after Hasina fled the country following a student-led mass uprising, our leader had today embarked on a journey to London for treatment, having been freed from all the false cases. We express our gratitude to Allah for this." The BNP leader expressed hope that Khaleda would return to the people of the country after receiving proper treatment. He said the BNP chief had urged the country's people to pray for her. Fakhrul said Khaleda prayed to Allah for the welfare of the country and its people. When asked what message she gave before leaving the country, he said Khaleda asked them to work towards establishing democracy and upholding the democratic system. The special air ambulance carrying BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia also transported four Royal Qatari doctors and paramedics. Besides, six members of Khaleda Zia's medical board—Professor Shahabuddin Talukder, Professor FM Siddique, Professor Naruddin Ahmed, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, and Dr. Mohammad Al Mamun— were accompanying her on the flight. Khaleda's entourage also included her daughter-in-law, Syeda Sharmila Rahman, the wife of her late son Arafat Rahman Koko, advisory council member Enamul Haque Chowdhury, executive committee member Tabith Awal, private secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, along with other personal staff and employees. Meanwhile, thousands of BNP leaders and activists, along with members of its affiliated bodies, gathered along the footpaths from Gulshan-2, Kakoli, and Airport Road to bid farewell to the former Prime Minister. The party leaders and activists, in their thousands, also thronged in front of Khaleda’s Gulshan residence from the afternoon to see her off. To ensure security during Khaleda’s departure, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) took special measures, including deployment of an adequate number of law enforcement personnel from the Airport Armed Police, RAB, DMP, DB and SWAT teams. Read: Khaleda Zia Admitted to Evercare Hospital Khaleda’s doctors have been advocating for her treatment abroad ever since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in late 2021. Despite the severity of her condition, she was denied permission to travel for treatment by the Awami League government, citing legal hurdles related to her convictions in two cases. However, on August 6, 2024, a day after the fall of the Awami League government, Khaleda was fully freed by an order from President Mohammed Shahabuddin, paving the way for her overseas treatment. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, his wife, and BNP leaders from the UK chapter will welcome Khaleda upon her arrival at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday. Tarique Rahman and his family have been living in London since 2008. This will be Khaleda’s first reunion with her son Tarique in seven years, and her first overseas visit since she was freed from jail. This will be Khaleda Zia’s second overseas medical trip, following her 2017 visit to London for treatment. On July 15, 2017, the BNP chief went to London and received treatment, spent time with her family members and celebrated Eid-ul-Azha with them during her three month stay there. From the airport, Khaleda will be directly admitted to “The London Clinic, an advanced medical centre in London, from the Heathrow Airport, said her physician Dr AZM Zahid Hossain. He said the former prime minister will remain under care at The London Clinic, where doctors will assess her health and determine her next course of treatment. A special air ambulance dispatched by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, landed on the VIP tarmac at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 7:40pm on Monday to transport BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to London. The Qatar Royal Family's Airbus A319 air ambulance, designed for long-distance medical evacuations, is equipped with advanced medical facilities, making it a "flying ICU." It includes ventilators, defibrillators, infusion pumps and cardiac monitors, ensuring continuous care during transit. The aircraft features a spacious and customisable interior, with areas for stretchers, patient zones and seating for family or specialists. Onboard, a team of four physicians and paramedics is ready to handle emergencies. Besides, the A319's advanced climate control, soundproofing, and pressurised cabin ensure both patient comfort and safety, while real-time communication with ground experts enables the onboard medical team to provide continuous care. With its enhanced fuel capacity and ability to land on shorter runways, the A319 is perfectly suited for long-haul medical flights. At a press conference on Monday, Dr Zahid said Khaleda has been suffering from various physical complications, including compensated liver cirrhosis (Grade 2), for which she previously underwent the TIPS procedure. “There’re some technical aspects of the TIPS, including the adjustments. We could not check it, and we have not been able to determine if the stenting set up in her heart is functioning properly... there are several blockages in her heart,” he said. The BNP leader also said Khaleda had earlier undergone angioplasty with stenting, but it is also necessary to address her other blockages. Read more: Khaleda gets pacemaker implanted at Evercare

The BNP public rally demanding the unconditional release of its ailing Chairperson Khaleda Zia has begun in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office with the participation of thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies. The rally formally began around 2:42 pm on Saturday (June 29, 2024) with the recitation from the holy Quran. BNP leaders and activists have started gathering before the party’s Nayapaltan central office with processions carrying banners, festoons, placards, and portraits of the party’s top leaders from different parts of Dhaka since morning braving bad weather to join the rally. Among the associate bodies, former Jubo Dal General Secretary Abdul Monayem Munna staged a showdown by joining the rally with a big procession. BNP activists gather at Nayapaltan to join rally demanding Khaleda’s unconditional release BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address the program as the chief guest. Additional police have been deployed in Nayapaltan and its surrounding areas to maintain law and order. Earlier on Wednesday, BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam announced a three-day countrywide program demanding the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital. As part of the programs, the party is holding the rally in front of its Nayapaltan central office today. Besides, the BNP leader said their party will hold rallies in all metropolitan cities on July 1 and in all district headquarters on July 3. BNP, allies to launch simultaneous movement against govt soon: Fakhrul Khaleda Zia was rushed to Evercare Hospital in an ambulance at around 3:30 am on June 22 after suddenly falling ill at her Gulshan residence. A team of specialist doctors, led by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder, successfully implanted a pacemaker in her chest the following day. She is now receiving treatment in a cabin with CCU facilities at the hospital. On June 11, 2022, Khaleda Zia was diagnosed with three blockages in her heart, one of which was 95% blocked and was treated with stent placement at that time. Khaleda, a former prime minister, aged 79, has long battled various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart, and eyes. Since her conditional release from jail in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment frequently at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder. Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. BNP announces 3-day programme for Khaleda Zia's unconditional release Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country. That has since been extended multiple times to keep her out of jail. Khaleda's doctors have been recommending sending her abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021. On October 26 last year, three US specialist doctors completed the hepatic procedure known as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS procedure) to stop water accretion in Khaleda Zia's stomach and chest, and bleeding in her liver.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) central office in Dhaka’s Nayapaltan was reopened this morning, nearly two and a half months after closure following clashes with police during the party’s grand rally on October 28, 2023. Some BNP leaders and activists, led by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, unlocked the collapsible gate of the office around 10:42 am. They entered the office while shouting various slogans in the name of party founder Ziaur Rahman and Chairperson Khaleda Zia. “We entered BNP’s central office by breaking the lock. A massive rally was foiled through a brutal crackdown by the government’s subservient law-enforcement agencies on October 28…later police locked the office,” said Rizvi. Read: BNP leader Fakhrul gets bail in 9 cases, 2 more cases pending  He said BNP’s standing committee members, led by Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, will hold a press conference — on the national election held on January 7 — at the office at 3 pm. The BNP leader said they will now clean the office for holding the press meet. After the party’s grand rally was foiled halfway through on October 28 at Nayapaltan amid clashes with police, the collapsible gate of the BNP's office was closed with the deployment of a huge number of law enforcers in the area. Members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) marked the areas in front of the main gate of the BNP office with the crime scene tape inscribed with "Do not cross” to collect evidence for investigation into severe political violence. Later, the CID's Crime Scene Unit collected evidence from the site and later removed the crime scene tape. Read: BNP to continue street agitation until demands are met: Rizvi  Following the clashes, law enforcers launched a crackdown on senior BNP leaders and activists, and arrested BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and several other leaders, forcing most of them to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Though thousands of BNP leaders and activists brought out a Victory Day rally on December 16 in Nayapaltan, they did not reopen their central office. BNP finally reopened the office four days after the 12th parliamentary election that was boycotted by most opposition parties.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s advisor and the party’s Vice Chairman Md Habibur Rahman Habib. RAB arrested the BNP leader from Dhaka’s Mirpur DOHS area early today (November 21, 2023) in connection with a case filed for contempt of court, RAB-2 Senior Assistant Director (Media) ASP Shihab Karim informed the media. Read: 562 arrested by RAB on charges of sabotage since Oct 28 He was handed over to Sher-E-Bangla Nagar Police Station this morning for further legal action against him, added the RAB official. Earlier, the High Court asked Habibur Rahman to appear before the court on November 6 and explain his “derogatory remarks” about a judge of the High Court on social media. The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the suo moto order. The court issued a rule seeking explanation as to why punitive action should not be taken against the BNP leader for contempt of court. Read: RAB arrests 4, including Sramik Dal leader, from Dhaka's Jatrabari in sabotage case Talking about BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment Habibur said in a video, “I want to take an oath that the day when this government will be not be in power, even if Justice Akhtaruzzaman is alive, he will have to die, even if he dies, the body will be exhumed from the grave.”

Detectives have detained 200 leaders and activists of BNP, believed to have gathered for the party’s grand rally today, from an under-construction building in Dhaka’s Kakrail area early today (October 28, 2023). Salahuddin Mia, officer-in-charge of Paltan Model Police Station, said a team of Detective Branch (DB) police conducted a drive in Kakrail at night. Harun-or-Rashid, additional commissioner of DB under Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said some crude bombs were exploded in the area. AL, BNP get conditional permission for rallies After hearing the sounds of explosion, police and DB conducted a drive at an under-construction building and detained 200 leaders and activists of BNP, he said. They came from different parts of the country ahead of BNP’s grand rally, he added. BNP and its allies set to hold rallies as part of their ‘final push’ Police also recovered a vehicle owned by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, placards, cooking items, sticks, iron rods and some unexploded crude bombs from the spot, the DB official said. Rajib Al Masud, deputy commissioner of DB Motijheel Division, said that 15-20 bombs were hurled from the under-construction building targeting police around 1:30 am. “Police are trying to arrest those involved in the incident,” he said. Panic grips capital city as AL and BNP flex muscles ahead of Saturday’s rallies Two policemen were injured in the explosion and they were taken to Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital, said Harun. “Our goal was to ensure that no one creates any untoward incident centering BNP’s grand rally. There are 7-8 such buildings and many people have gathered in those buildings, from what we’ve heard. We’ll conduct drives there as well,” he added.