The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Saturday left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia to perform umrah at the invitation of the Saudi government.
She along with her entourage flew by a flight of Emirates Airlines from
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport about 7:10pm.Leaders and activists of BNP and its front and associate organisations saw her off at the airport.
The BNP’s senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of Khaleda Zia, has no possibility to join her in Saudi Arabia from London to perform umrah as has earlier been speculated, a close aide to Khaleda told New Age on Saturday.
Tarique performed umrah in April. He has been staying in the United Kingdom since September 2008 for his medical treatment.
Khaleda’s younger brother Shamim Eskander, his wife and his children, the BNP’s vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and the chairperson’s Saudi Arabia affairs special emissary M Enamul Haque Chowdhury will accompany her to Saudi Arabia.
During her stay in Madinah from July 28 to July 31, she will say prayers at Masjid Al-Nabawi and say prayers at the graveside of the Prophet Muhammad (SM).
Khaleda, also leader of the opposition in the parliament, would go to Makkah on July 31 and perform umrah and say prayers at Masjid Al-Haram during her six days’ stay in Makkah, according to her special emissary.
She is scheduled to return home on August 6.
-With New Age input
