Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia is scheduled to be transferred to the United Kingdom for further medical treatment on early Friday.

BNP chairperson’s personal physician and standing committee member AZM Zahid Hosain told reporters at a briefing outside Evercare Hospital on Thursday afternoon that the transfer, planned via Qatar Royal Air Ambulance, would be accompanied by specialist doctors and aeronautical physicians to ensure continuous medical care during the flight.

Zahid said that after a unanimous decision by the medical board and considering her current health condition, Khaleda Zia was scheduled to be transferred to a designated hospital in London, UK, for advanced care.

He also said that the transfer would be carried out via Qatar Royal Air Ambulance and the BNP chief would be accompanied by several specialist doctors, including two foreign physicians, and aeronautical physicians would also be on board to ensure continuous treatment and monitoring during the flight.

He further said that multiple governmental bodies and international embassies, including those of China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, and Russia, had provided the necessary support and coordination for the transfer.

Bangladesh’s law enforcement and foreign ministry had also extended their assistance to ensure that the transfer procedure was completed smoothly, he added.

Zahid said that the decision of transferring Khaleda Zia to the UK was made following the advice of the medical board that was formed to supervise her treatment.

Zahid expressed his hope that, Khaleda Zia, who had overcome many difficulties in the past, would recover soon and return to the people of Bangladesh.

Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23, and after examinations, doctors confirmed that she had developed a lung infection.

On November 27, she was moved to the Critical Care Unit of the hospital, where she remained under the care of a joint medical team comprising doctors from the US, the UK and Bangladesh.

The 79-year-old politician has long been suffering from multiple health conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, kidney complications, and eye problems.

She travelled to London for advanced treatment on January 7, 2025, and returned Bangladesh on May 6.