BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia returned home on Saturday night ending her weeklong visit to Saudi Arabia.
The BNP chief reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8:20pm in a regular flight of Emirates Airlines.
Senior BNP leaders, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dhaka city unit convener Mirza Ababs, member secretary Habibun Nabi Sohel, BNP joint secretaries Salahuddin Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Mahbubuddin Khokan, received Khaleda at the airport.
Khaleda completed her Saudi tour with performing farewell Tawaf of the Ka’bah Sharif on Friday night.
Later, Khaleda along with her eldest son and BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and his family went to Jeddah Airport and left Saudi Arabia in the same flight.
Khaleda’s entourage and local BNP leaders who were present at the airport said Khaleda, Tarique and his family members burst into tears at the Jeddah Airport before boarding the aircraft.
Some of the BNP leaders who were witnessing the emotional scene could not hold back their tears.
Seeing the party men weeping, Tarique in tears also consoled them saying he will return home soon, said a BNP leader from Saudi Arabia whishing not to be named.
During the stopover in Dubai, Khaleda bid the final farewell to Tarique, his wife, Dr Zobaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, in tearful eyes, Khaleda’s entourage told UNB.
Khaleda hugged Ziama and cried for a while hugging her, they said.
Tarique and his family were going back to London where he has been living since September 11, 2008 and receiving treatment there.
The BNP chief went to Saudi Arabia on July 19 at the invitation of the Saudi government.
Khaleda who left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka on Saturday last had an emotional reunion with her elder son Tarique at the VIP Lounge of the Dubai International Airport during her stopover there.
Later, they joined Khaleda in her Saudi Arabia tour.
During her stay in Saudi Arabia, the BNP chief along with Tarique and his wife performed Umrah, offered fateha at the holy Rawja Mubarak of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM) and offered special prayers at Masjid Al-Haram.
During their meeting, Tarique and Khaleda also discussed various crucial issues like party’s overhaul process, strategy for the post-Eid movement and party’s council, according to party sources.
Besides, the former premier had a meeting with President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali.
Apart from family members, BNP chief’s press secretary Maruf Kamal, her personal assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, her Middle East affairs adviser Enamul Haque Chowdhury, party’s ICT affairs secretary Shah Sharif Kamal Taj and photographer Nuruddin Ahmed accompanied Khaleda.
Source: UNB
