Zubaida Rahman leaves Dhaka for London after a month

Zubaida Rahman, the wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, has left Dhaka for London after a month in the country.

She departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in a Qatar Airways flight at 10:55am on Thursday, said BNP spokesman Atiqur Rahman Rumon.

"She [Zubaida] has already left for London," he said.

BNP leaders, including brig gen (retired) AKM Shamsul Islam Shams, Atiqur Rahman Rumon, and Nurul Islam Azad saw her off at the airport.

"After she boarded the plane, Madam [BNP chief Khaleda Zia] called to check if she was okay and they spoke," Rumon said.

"Earlier in the morning, she went to the Gulshan residence Feroza and sought Madam's blessings before heading to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport."

This was her first visit to Dhaka in 17 years. Ahead of her flight to London, Zubaida went to her family’s Dhanmondi residence and met her mother Iqbal Mand Banu on Wednesday.

After receiving advanced medical treatment in London for four months, former prime minister Khaleda returned home on May 6, accompanied by her daughters-in-law Zubaida and Syeda Sharmila Rahman, the wife of late Arafat Rahman Coco.

Tarique, who was tortured while in prison during the rule of the army-backed caretaker government, went to London for advanced medical treatment.

His wife Zubaida and daughter Zaima went with him. Later, Tarique and Zubaida were named in several politically motivated cases, preventing their return to Bangladesh during the Awami League rule. They have been living in London ever since.