Khaleda defers Saudi Arabia tour

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia who was scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday evening to perform Umrah has postponed her visit, reports UNB.

"Our chairperson goes to Saudi Arabia every Ramadan at the invitation of the Saudi King to perform Umrah, but she's not going there this time," BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon told the news agency.

Explaining the reason behind the tour postponement, he said, "Many BNP senior leaders, including party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and many other our leaders and activists are in jail. Under the circumstances, she has decided to not go to Saudi Arabia this Ramadan."

He, however, said Khaleda is likely to go to Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah at her convenient time after eid.

Khaleda and her entourage were scheduled to leave her for Saudi Arabia in Emirates flight on Wednesday evening.

Party sources said Khaleda took the decision to shelve the Saudi tour plan after consultation with some party senior leaders on Tuesday night.

Khaleda goes to Saudi Arabia every Ramadan to perform Umrah and pass the last some days of the holy moth there in special prayers.

Party sources said BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife and daughter, now in London, and her late son Arafat Rahman Koko's wife and two daughters from Malaysia were scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia at the same time.

Tarique had a reunion with his mother during the last Ramadan as they performed Umrah and stayed in Saudi Arabia over a week.