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2mo ago

Khaleda Zia Returns to Bangladesh, Intensifying Election Demands

The former prime minister's arrival from London galvanizes calls for the interim government to finalize a national election date by 2025 or mid-2026.

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FILE- Bangladesh's former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia, center, leaves after a court appearance in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Dec. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad, File)
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Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's former prime minister, returned to Dhaka on Tuesday

Overview

  • Khaleda Zia, the 79-year-old leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, returned to Dhaka after four months of medical treatment in London.
  • Her return, facilitated by a Qatari air ambulance, was greeted by thousands of supporters lining the streets with flags and placards.
  • The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has pledged elections by December 2025 or June 2026 but faces growing pressure to set a definitive date.
  • Zia’s presence carries symbolic weight for her party as her long-time rival, Sheikh Hasina, remains in exile in India following her ouster in 2024.
  • Zia’s legal rehabilitation, including recent acquittals on corruption charges, has bolstered her party’s push for democratic reforms and timely elections.