Qatari air ambulance from German company arriving Saturday to fly Khaleda Zia to London
Emir of Qatar is sending a replacement air ambulance after the first royal aircraft encountered mechanical problems
An air ambulance operated by Qatar is being arranged by a German company FAI to transport BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to London for advanced treatment and it is scheduled to land in Dhaka at 5pm on Saturday, following delays caused by technical issues in the original aircraft sent by the Qatari royal family.
BNP Media Cell member Shairul Kabir Khan told The Business Standard today that the Emir of Qatar is sending a replacement air ambulance after the first royal aircraft encountered mechanical problems.
"The one now arriving is also a Qatari air ambulance, but it is manufactured by a German company. Qatar is not sending any air ambulance from Germany," he clarified.
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Khaleda Zia was initially expected to fly to London on 5 December, but the delayed arrival of the royal air ambulance pushed back the schedule.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had said, "If her health permits travel and her medical board approves, then she will fly out on the 7th [Sunday]."
Meanwhile, Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, landed in Dhaka this morning. She will accompany her ailing mother-in-law on the medical flight to London.
The former prime minister has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and kidney, lung, heart and eye problems.
On 23 November, Khaleda left her Gulshan residence, Firoza, for Evercare Hospital at around 7:30pm and has been receiving treatment there since then.
Earlier, on 8 January this year, Khaleda travelled to London. Upon arrival, she was admitted to the London Clinic, a private hospital, where she remained under the care of renowned specialists Prof Patrick Kennedy and Prof Jennifer Cross for 17 days.
From 25 January, she received treatment and stayed at the London residence of her eldest son Tarique. The BNP chief then returned to Dhaka on 6 May after four months in the UK.
