BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday visited his ailing mother and former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia at a private hospital in Dhaka, marking their first reunion on Bangladeshi soil in more than 17 years, according to media reports.
The 60-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader returned to the country earlier in the day from self-exile in London, where he had been living since 2008.
Soon after his arrival, Tarique went to Evercare Hospital to see his mother, octogenarian BNP chairperson Zia, who is undergoing treatment for multiple health issues, the state-run BSS news agency reported.
The mother and son have met several times in London over the years, but this was their first meeting in Bangladesh since Tarique left the country, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper said.
Tarique reached the hospital after addressing thousands of party supporters gathered at the July 36 Expressway in the capital, BSS reported.
His wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman, arrived at the hospital before him. Both had accompanied Tarique from London to Dhaka, the report said.
Zia has been admitted to the hospital since November 23 and was later shifted to a coronary care unit due to complications.
On December 11, she was placed on “ventilator support to give rest to her lungs and other vital organs.”
Tarique returned home to a rousing welcome, and his return is expected to energise BNP workers ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections.
He has emerged as a leading contender for the prime minister’s post, even as the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami is attempting to mount a strong challenge to the BNP in the polls.