Khaleda Zia Returns to Bangladesh, Raising Pressure on Interim Government for Election Date

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

---

Image Source: Mahud Hossain Opu/AP Photo

Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has returned to Dhaka after a four-month stay in London for medical treatment, in a development that adds fresh momentum to calls for national elections amid a sensitive political transition.

Zia, 78, arrived on Tuesday to a rapturous welcome from thousands of supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who lined the streets from the airport to her residence. Seen in a wheelchair and visibly frail, she greeted supporters with a raised right hand, smiling as she was escorted by a heavy police presence.

“This is a joyous moment for us and the nation,” said BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. “At this crucial time for democracy, her presence marks a significant day for the country. We believe that Khaleda Zia’s return will facilitate the path to democratic transition.”

Zia’s arrival comes at a pivotal time for Bangladesh, which has been under the stewardship of an interim administration since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a student-led uprising in August 2024. The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has yet to announce a firm date for national elections, though officials have stated that polls could take place by December 2025 or June 2026, depending on the pace of political and institutional reforms.

A three-time prime minister, Zia has remained a central figure in Bangladeshi politics despite recurring health issues and legal troubles. In 2018, she was convicted and sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison on embezzlement charges during Hasina’s rule. The BNP has long insisted the charges were politically motivated.

In recent developments, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court in January overturned a 10-year sentence, acquitting Zia of all charges in a high-profile corruption case. This followed a separate acquittal in November 2024 related to alleged misappropriation of more than $260,000 from another charitable trust.

Zia’s symbolic return is expected to energize the BNP, particularly in the absence of her son and party acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, who continues to operate from exile in London. Meanwhile, Hasina herself the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remains in exile in India.

As Bangladesh looks ahead, Zia’s reappearance could reshape the political landscape and intensify demands for a democratic roadmap.