Dhaka – BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday returned home after 94 days of stay in London for treatment of her eyes and knees.
On her arrival, she was given a grand reception in front of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as thousands of party leaders and activists carrying banners and festoons received her by standing beside the road from the airport to Banani-Kakoli intersection.An Emirates Airlines flight carrying Khaleda landed at the airport at 5:07 pm and she started for her Gulshan residence at 5:35 pm.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with senior party leaders received her at the airport offering her bouquets of flower.
Leaders and activists have been chocked with emotions to receive their leader after over three months.
Thousands of party leaders and activists found standing beside the street from the airport to Biswa Road from 3:30 pm to 7:70 pm and chanting different slogans.
Central leaders including DR Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman, Mirza Abbas, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Abdullah Al Noman, among others were present on the occasion were waiting in front of the mosque in front of the VIP gate to receive their leader.
The movement of vehicles on the airport road has totally been stuck for at around four hours with a huge presence of BNP leaders and activists on the streets leaving passenger to suffer.
It took over two hours for Khaleda, who herself has fallen in a traffic jam at airport intersection for about half an hour, to reach her Gulshan residence.
Talking to reporters, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, however, alleged that the government has created artificial traffic congestion on the road so that party leaders and activists cannot get to the airport.
Despite this, the huge presence proved that the people are ready to greet their leader upon her arrival, he added.
Moudud said, Khaleda Zia, not afraid of the arrest of warrant what he said had been issued with a political motive.
“Our leader is respectful of the law and she would go to the court and receive bail,” he added.
There are four arrest warrants issued by courts in Dhaka and Comilla against her.
Some leaders including Rajshahi Mayor Mosaddeque Hossain Bulu with banner where the Khaleda Zia has been described as “Mother of Democracy.”
Meanwhile, law enforcers have taken huge security measure to maintain law and order on arrival of Khaleda.
Earlier, Khaleda Zia left Heathrow International Airport at 2:50 am (BST) where her elder son, granddaughters and son in laws saw her off.
Khaleda Zia went to London on July 15 for treatment of her eyes and knees and stayed with her family members, including elder son Tarique Rahman. She celebrated Eid-ul-Azha with her son, grandchildren and daughters-in-law.
During her stay in London, the former premier underwent surgeries for her eyes and knees. – Staff Reporter
