Bangladesh News

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman last night flew to the United Kingdom for treatment hours into his just-freed mother’s announcement that he will stay off politics until he recovers fully.

Also senior joint secretary general of BNP, he left Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital at around 7:00pm for the Zia International Airport.

The Emirates flight carrying him took off at around 9:55pm.

Travelling with him were his wife Zubaida Rahman, daughter Zaima Rahman, sister-in-law Shahina Khan Zaman and her husband Air Commodore (retd) Syed Shafiuzzaman, and physician Dr Kazi Mazharul Islam Dolon.

He would take rest for some days before his treatment starts in London, said sources close to Zia family.

As he was wheeled out of the hospital, hundreds of party leaders and workers cheered.

Earlier in the day, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said, “Doctors say it will take at least two to three years for him to pull through. He will not get involved in politics until he recovers completely.”

Talking to reporters at the BNP headquarters at Naya Paltan, she said, “Tarique is seriously ill. He will stay abroad and out of politics for the time being.”

She also said he will not carry out any responsibility for the party until he returns home fully recovered.

The BNP chairperson who was released on bail the same day went to the BSMMU Hospital to see her ailing son after offering prayers at her husband late president Ziaur Rahman’s grave. She spent over two hours by her son’s bedside.

In the last few days, speculations ran rife over Tarique’s going abroad for treatment and his mother’s release.

He was supposed to leave the country on Wednesday night, but did not get the government’s nod, Tarique’s lawyer Ahmed Aazam Khan told the press.

The heir apparent to Zia family, Tarique became the senior joint general secretary of BNP in 2002. He would carry immense clout during the rule of BNP-led four-party alliance. His name and Hawa Bhaban, her mother’s political office that became the alternate powerhouse during the alliance rule, would be mentioned in the same breath.

But things began to change for the worse for him with the army-backed caretaker government taking office on January 11 last year.

In an anti-graft purge, the joint forces arrested him on March 7, 2007 at their Shaheed Moinul Road residence in Dhaka cantonment.

Soon he was made accused in several corruption cases. After 18 months in detention on graft and extortion charges he was released on bail on September 3. He however did not return to his house. Instead, he chose to be under treatment at the BSMMU Hospital.

Earlier, Tarique obtained a UK visa for five years on September 8, and a 90-day German visa, on September 10. His visas indicate he might fly to Germany from the UK.

His wife and daughter too were given five-year UK visas while his physician was granted a visa for six months.

According to family sources, Tarique had numerous offers of help from his well-wishers and BNP faithful from across the world including the UK, Germany and the United States.