Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda in critical condition, exiled son says his return not in his hands

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia remains in “very critical” condition at a Dhaka hospital, her party said on Sunday, as her exiled son and acting party chief Tarique Rahman signaled uncertainty over his return.

Khaleda, 80, was admitted to a private hospital on November 23 with a severe chest infection affecting her heart and lungs, doctors and senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party officials said.

Her deteriorating health comes at a sensitive time for her political party, which has regained prominence after Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s long-serving former prime minister, was ousted in a student-led uprising last year.

Rahman, who has lived in London since 2008, wrote on Facebook on Saturday that his return to Bangladesh was “not entirely” in his control, fuelling speculation over political or legal hurdles.

Hours later, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus said it had “no restrictions or objections” to his return.

“There are no obstacles in this matter,” Yunus’ press secretary Shafiqul Alam said in a Facebook post.

Khaleda’s condition has deepened uncertainty within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party as it weighs its next steps with its matriarch gravely ill and its acting chairman still abroad.

The party, which boycotted disputed elections in 2014 and 2024, has gained momentum since August and is seen as a frontrunner in Bangladesh’s shifting political landscape.