Staff Correspondent

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday formally expressed gratitude to the Emir of Qatar through a personal letter for providing the royal air ambulance and logistical support to transport his ailing mother Khaleda Zia to London for advanced treatment.

A BNP delegation visited the Qatari Embassy in Dhaka around 2:30pm and handed over the personal letter from Tarique Rahman to Qatari Embassy official Mohammed Khalid Al-Ghanim Al-Maadeed.

Qatari Embassy's Third Secretary Rashid Hazaa Al-Marri was also present, according to a post on BNP’s official Facebook page.

The BNP delegation included party Chairperson's Advisory Council member Mohammad Ismail Zabiullah and Acting Chairman’s adviser and special assistant Dr Mahdi Amin.

Earlier, on January 10, Tarique Rahman posted on his official Facebook page: “I am deeply grateful to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, for graciously providing transportation and logistics for my mother, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia.”

On behalf of his family and the people of Bangladesh, the BNP leader also extended heartfelt thanks to the Emir of Qatar for the support, saying, “We look forward to fostering lasting, multifaceted ties between Bangladesh and Qatar.”

The BNP chief flew to London on January 8 aboard a special air ambulance sent by the Emir of Qatar. She was admitted to The London Clinic in the United Kingdom for advanced treatment and has been receiving care there since then.

Khaleda Zia, a three-time former Prime Minister, has been battling multiple health issues, including liver cirrhosis, diabetes, arthritis, and complications involving her kidneys, lungs, heart and eyes.