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Download PDF Former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is expected to leave for Saudi Arabia in a few days to perform Umrah and come back home shortly.
A senior BNP leader, who contacted a family member of Khaleda yesterday, told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity that Khaleda along with some family members will stay in Saudi Arabia for five to seven days.
“All her family members are not going with her, but a few of them will accompany the former prime minister on this short trip,” he said, adding that Khaleda is going to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Saudi government.
The leader said a senior official of the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka, who met Khaleda at her cantonment residence on Wednesday evening, handed over her passport with Saudi visa to Khaleda.
The diplomat also inquired about the well-being of Khaleda and her family members and assured her that the Saudi government will warmly receive her when she goes to perform Umrah.
“This time she will be going to Saudi Arabia willingly and not under any pressure from any quarter,” said the BNP leader.
Khaleda was reportedly under pressure to go into exile in Saudi Arabia recently.
But the government issued a press note on Wednesday declaring that there was neither any pressure on Khaleda to go into exile nor any restriction on her movement.
The BNP chairperson went to the Baridhara residence of her younger brother Sayeed Iskandar at 9:50pm yesterday.
Several BNP leaders, including BNP Joint Secretary General Selima Rahman and Assistant Office Secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince, and a few close relatives were also allowed to meet Khaleda yesterday.
The authorities gave hints that they may allow some more important BNP leaders and close relatives to meet Khaleda today.
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