Dhaka departure for Zia delayed
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
PLANS by Bangladesh's military-backed emergency government to exile former premier Khaleda Zia to Saudi Arabia appeared to stall yesterday over visa negotiations, a report said.
The independent New Age daily, quoting diplomatic sources, said the Saudi embassy in Dhaka has "refused to issue a long-stay visa to Zia unless she appears at the embassy in person".
The report said Saudi authorities need Zia to "testify to the fact that she would indeed be entering the kingdom of her own free will".
Zia was recovering from illness at her home, her associates said.
The associates on Monday said Khaleda had pulled out of a reported deal with the army-backed interim government to go into political exile with most of her family members. "Begum Zia is improving but still has some problem with low blood pressure and arthritis pain in her knees," a close associate quoted her personal physician, Dr Mahtab Uddin, as saying.
She should have a complete rest for few more days, Mahtab Uddin, a retired brigadier-general of Bangladesh Army Medical Corps, told Khaleda associates.
The government is trying to exile Zia, the country's last prime minister and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as well as Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina Wajed aimed at giving the country a new start. AFP
The independent New Age daily, quoting diplomatic sources, said the Saudi embassy in Dhaka has "refused to issue a long-stay visa to Zia unless she appears at the embassy in person".
The report said Saudi authorities need Zia to "testify to the fact that she would indeed be entering the kingdom of her own free will".
Zia was recovering from illness at her home, her associates said.
The associates on Monday said Khaleda had pulled out of a reported deal with the army-backed interim government to go into political exile with most of her family members. "Begum Zia is improving but still has some problem with low blood pressure and arthritis pain in her knees," a close associate quoted her personal physician, Dr Mahtab Uddin, as saying.
She should have a complete rest for few more days, Mahtab Uddin, a retired brigadier-general of Bangladesh Army Medical Corps, told Khaleda associates.
The government is trying to exile Zia, the country's last prime minister and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as well as Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina Wajed aimed at giving the country a new start. AFP
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