Khaleda returns home

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia arrives at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the city yesterday on her return from a 15-day visit to the US and the UK. Photo: STAR

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia returned home yesterday afternoon ending her 15-day visit to the US and the UK.
Several thousand leaders, workers and supporters of the party received their leader outside Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 5:15pm. They carried banners, placards, festoons and portraits of late president Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman.
Authorities allowed only six persons, including Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka and the chairperson's personal staff, inside the VIP lounge of the airport.
However, party men gathered at various points from airport to Banani to welcome the chairperson and escorted her motorcade on her way to Gulshan residence, causing severe traffic jam.
Khaleda waved greetings to them from inside the car.
Senior leaders including Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir greeted the chairperson outside of the VIP lounge by presenting her a bouquet.
Talking to newsmen, Mosharraf said the chairperson already declared that she will soon announce anti-government agitation programme. “Hartal, blockade, long march and human chain might be announced but the decision would be finalised in the meeting of party's policymakers,” he said.
Mirza Alamgir said Khaleda Zia made the countrymen proud by receiving special honour from New Jersey State Senate of the US for her longstanding fight for democracy.
He condemned restriction upon the senior leaders to enter the VIP lounge to welcome the party chief.
Khaleda left for the UK on May 14 and went to the US on May 21.
During her weeklong stay in the US, she called on Tony Blinken, US Vice President Joe Biden's security advisor; Joseph Crowly, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Bangladesh, and three other congressmen in Washington.
Before her US visit, the BNP chairperson met Tarique Rahman in London after over three years and political leaders including former British premier Gordon Brown.