Khaleda Zia returns to Bangladesh, BNP demands fresh elections at airport

Dhaka: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has returned to Dhaka after staying in London for four months for treatment, she had gone out of the country in January this year. Zia has been given a warm welcome by the leaders of her party BNP at the airport in Dhaka. Zia's return has increased the pressure on the head of the interim government of the country, Mohammad Yunus, to hold elections. Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party is pressurizing the interim government to hold elections this year. Zia's return will increase this pressure on Yunus, who has not yet been seen moving fast towards elections.

According to AP report, BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said at Dhaka airport that Zia's return will restore the democratic process in Bangladesh. He said, 'This is a moment of joy for our party and the country. Zia's presence is important for the country at this crucial time for democracy. We believe that Khaleda Zia's return will open the way for democratic change. He clearly indicated that his party will insist on the demand for elections.

Political instability in Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina's government fell in Bangladesh last year in August after student protests. Since then, Bangladesh is under an interim government. The interim government has the responsibility to hold elections in the country and hand over power to the winning party, but doubts are being raised on the interim government's commitment to hold elections. Mohammad Yunus' interim government has not announced any date for the elections. He has expressed hope that elections will be held by June next year after reforms. Now the pressure of BNP party will increase on him, which had softened a bit due to Zia's absence from the country.

Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have been the Prime Minister of the country alternately since 1991. These two leaders have been the most important political faces of Bangladesh in the last three decades. Khaleda Zia has been the Prime Minister thrice. Twice she completed a five-year term and once she became the Prime Minister for a few months. During Hasina's rule, Zia was jailed for 17 years in two corruption cases. He was released after the interim government came into power last year. Zia is the widow of former military chief President Ziaur Rahman. Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in 1981.