The Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, who is now staying in London, will return to the country soon, the party’s standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said on Monday night.

He disclosed the information after a meeting of the standing committee, the highest policymaking body of the BNP.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Salahuddin said that  the standing committee’s meeting was held as part of its routine activities.

He said that that the health condition of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia received renewed attention during the discussions.

Salahuddin also said that the party had designated the chairperson's personal physician AZM Zahid to brief the media on Khaleda Zia’s current health condition.

Tarique Rahman was arrested during an anti-corruption crackdown in March 2007 and released on bail in September 2008.

Following his release, Tarique left Bangladesh for London on September 11, 2008 for medical treatment and has remained in the United Kingdom for the past 17 years.