Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has returned to the country after four months of medical treatment in London, adding pressure on the interim government to hold national elections.
Zia, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson, arrived in Dhaka on May 6, 2025, via a Qatari royal air ambulance, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law. Her return comes amid growing demands from BNP for elections in December, as the country remains under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, welcomed Zia at the airport, expressing hope that her return would restore democracy in Bangladesh. Security has been tightened around her Gulshan residence, with police and BNP supporters gathering in large numbers.
Zia’s presence is expected to intensify political tensions, especially as BNP pushes for urgent elections, while the interim government insists on reforms before polls. Meanwhile, discussions are swirling around the possible return of Tarique Rahman, Zia’s son and BNP’s acting chairman, who has been leading the party from exile in London.
