Khaleda’s first public appearance in six years

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia made her first appearance at the Armed Forces Day reception at Senakunja in 12 years on Thursday, reports UNB.

This marks her first public appearance and participation in a state function in six years, since her imprisonment in February 2018. The last time she attended the Armed Forces Day reception was in 2012.

Khaleda Zia, the 79-year-old former Prime Minister, accompanied by the wife of her late son Arafat Rahman Koko, left her Gulshan residence around 3:30pm and arrived at the reception venue around 3:45pm.

Earlier, on Tuesday night, the Armed Forces Division of the Chief Adviser's Office invited Khaleda, also a three-time former Prime Minister, to attend the reception at Senakunja.

Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Lieutenant General ASM Kamrul Ahsan handed over the invitation letter to Khaleda.

Twenty-six other BNP leaders, including Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other senior leaders, have also been invited to attend the reception.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has presented as the chief guest at the reception at Senakunja.

Armed Forces Day is being celebrated today (Thursday) with various programmes amid festivity and enthusiasm, commemorating the establishment of the army, navy, and air force during the 1971 Liberation War. Khaleda Zia has been grappling with a range of serious health issues, including liver cirrhosis, heart, lung, kidney and eye problems.

She has undergone multiple treatments at Evercare Hospital in the capital since her conditional release, under the supervision of a medical board led by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.

The BNP has made all necessary arrangements to send her abroad for specialised treatment at an advanced medical center.

Khaleda Zia was imprisoned in Old Dhaka Central Jail on February 8, 2018, after being sentenced to five years in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

On October 30, 2018, the High Court increased her sentence to 10 years. She was later convicted in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the government temporarily released her on March 25, 2020, suspending her sentence for 776 days with conditions to remain at her Gulshan residence and not leave the country

On August 6, Khaleda Zia was completely as President Mohammed Shahabuddin exempted her from her punishment, exercising his powers under Article 49 of the Constitution.