Air ambulance delay defers Bangladesh ex-PM Zia's departure for London to Sunday: BNP

The scheduled departure of critically ill former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia for London for advance treatment has been deferred to Sunday as an air ambulance offered by Qatar could not reach Dhaka, a senior leader of her party said on Friday.

The 80-year-old head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who was hospitalised on November 23, was originally scheduled to leave for London late on Thursday night or early Friday.

“If everything goes well, it (the air ambulance) may arrive tomorrow (Saturday) and if madam's health permits travel and her medical board gives its approval, then, InshaAllah (God willing), she will fly out on the 7th (Sunday),” BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

According to a statement issued by Zia's media cell, Alamgir said due to technical flaws, the special aircraft provided by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani could not reach Dhaka as scheduled on Thursday but “it would expectedly reach Dhaka on Saturday.”

A medical board looking after Zia on Thursday decided to send her to London for advanced treatment, her party said.

Meanwhile, Zubaida Rahman, the physician wife of Zia's only living offspring and acting chairman of BNP Tarique Rahman arrived in Dhaka on Friday to accompany her mother-in-law to London.

Tarique Rahman, the self-exiled 60-year-old has been living in London since 2008. For obscure reasons, he has been unable to return home and be with his ailing mother. Instead, he steers the party as its de facto leader through virtual platforms.

The three-time prime minister is being treated in a critical condition at the coronary care unit (CCU) at Dhaka's specialised Evercare Hospital under an extended medical board comprising Bangladeshi and foreign doctors.

Earlier in the year, Zia returned to the country from London on May 6 after spending four months for advanced medical treatment.

The BNP on Thursday also issued a list saying 14 people, one of them being Syeda Shameela Rahman, wife of Zia's deceased younger son Arafat Rahman and six being doctors, who will accompany Zia to London.

The others include a party leader and Zia's adviser Enamul Haque Chowdhury, two agents of the elite Special Security Force (SSF) provided by Muhammad Yunus' interim government and her personal aides.

Qatar had already offered to provide the air ambulance for Zia for taking her to London even as two military and air force helicopters on Thursday staged landing tests at the rooftop of the hospital, where she is admitted. Presumably, she will be flown from the hospital to the airport in one such helicopter.

Meanwhile, supporters and BNP units across Bangladesh held prayers in mosques after Muslims Friday Jumma prayers seeking Zia's recovery.