Khaleda, Tarique reunite in Dubai
After three years, BNP chief Khaleda Zia was reunited with her elder son Tarique Rahman, his wife and daughter at Dubai International Airport yesterday.
The Zia family members were on their way to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah as the royal guests of Saudi government.
Khaleda and her entourage left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Saturday night by an Emirates Airlines and made a stopover at Dubai airport.
Tarique, also senior vice-chairman of BNP, his wife Zubaida Khan Rahman and their daughter Zaima already had reached there from London.
Khaleda's entourage that witnessed the reunion told The Daily Star over the phone that the mother and son got emotional when they saw each other at the VIP lounge of the airport.
This was the second reunion of the two in the last six years. The last one was in May 2011 during her visit to London, where Tarique has been living since 2008.
Khaleda's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, his wife and two daughters were also supposed to meet her at Saudi Arabia. But Koko could not make it for reasons unknown.
After their reunion in Dubai, Khaleda along with Tarique and his family members boarded an Emirates flight for Saudi Arabia.
They reached Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madina around 3:30am (local time).
A number of leaders and activists of the party's Saudi chapter welcomed the family at the airport, Khaleda's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel told The Daily Star from Madina.
Later, they drove straight to a five star hotel where they will be staying during their Madina tour.
Tarique was arrested on March 7, 2007 on graft charges by the military-backed caretaker government. Released on bail in 2008, he along with his family went to London.
During their stay in Saudi Arabia, Tarique and Khaleda will talk about various crucial issues like the party's reforms, councils and strategy for the post-Eid movement.
They might also discuss the fate of BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who has been holding the “temporary” position over the last three years. Tarique is very much unhappy with Fakhrul's poor performance in the anti-government movement before the January 5 election, party insiders say.
Khaleda is expected to return on July 26.
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