Ex-leader Khaleda Zia returns to Bangladesh at ‘crucial time for democracy’
Zia’s presence raises pressure on the interim government to set a date for elections nine months after her archrival Hasina’s ouster.
Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has returned to Dhaka after four months of medical treatment in the British capital, London, raising pressure on the country’s interim government to set a date for national elections.
Zia’s return on Tuesday came at a critical juncture for Bangladesh, which has been governed by an interim administration since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student-led uprising in August last year.
Zia’s presence in the country has huge symbolic value for her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) while her archrival Hasina is in exile in India.
“This is a joyous moment for us and the nation. At this crucial time for democracy, her presence marks a significant day for the country. We believe that Khaleda Zia’s return will facilitate the path to democratic transition,” BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
Thousands of supporters gathered outside Dhaka’s main airport and along the road leading to her house to welcome Zia, who has spent recent years in and out of hospital. She was seen sitting in a wheelchair at the airport. The 78-year-old BNP leader smiled as she repeatedly raised her right hand to receive greetings.