BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman was reunited with his ailing mother, former Prime Minister and party Chairperson Khaleda Zia, at the capital’s Evercare Hospital on Thursday, following his return to the country after 17 years in exile.
After attending a grand reception programme at Purbachal’s 300 Feet area, Tarique Rahman arrived at Evercare Hospital at 5:55pm to see his critically ill mother, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.
Other family members, including Shamila Rahman Sithi, the widow of Tarique’s late brother Arafat Rahman Koko, were also present at the hospital.
After spending an hour and 40 minutes by her side, offering comfort and support, Tarique Rahman and his family left Evercare Hospital at 7:35pm, carrying with them the bittersweet weight of reunion and the hope of better days ahead.
Following the visit, security was tightened significantly around the Evercare facility, with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel deployed to maintain order as the BNP leader moved toward his Gulshan residence.
The issue of Tarique Rahman’s homecoming had been widely discussed since Khaleda Zia was admitted to hospital.
Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since 23 November, suffering from multiple complex conditions, including pneumonia, lung infection, diabetes, heart disease, liver cirrhosis, kidney complications, and respiratory infections.
Although her condition remains critical, doctors say it is currently stable. However, due to ongoing infection and unfavorable physical parameters, the medical board has not approved taking her abroad for advanced treatment.
On 19 December, medical board member and BNP’s standing committee member Zahid Hossain stated that Khaleda Zia’s condition was more stable than before. She is receiving treatment from both local and foreign physicians, and a minor medical procedure was recently completed successfully, with no deterioration observed.
Due to her unstable condition, plans to take her abroad in November 2024 were postponed, and she was admitted to Evercare Hospital. After some improvement, she was flown to London on 7 January 2025, via a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar, where she reunited with Tarique Rahman after seven years. After nearly four months of treatment, she returned to Dhaka on 6 May 2025.
The return of Tarique Rahman marks the end of a long period of legal and political struggle. Having entered politics in 1988 and played a pivotal role in the 1991 and 2001 election victories, Rahman faced numerous legal challenges during the subsequent decades.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2018 in connection with a 2004 grenade attack case. He faced dozens of corruptions and money laundering cases beginning in 2007. After going into exile in London in 2008, he led the BNP’s reorganisation from abroad, eventually becoming Acting Chairman in 2018.
Following the political shifts in August 2024, Rahman was acquitted in several high-profile cases. After announcing his intention to return on 12 December, Tarique Rahman’s arrival on 25 December signified a major turning point for the BNP and the broader political landscape of Bangladesh.
