Tarique, Khaleda meeting rumour :BNP chairperson going for Umrah tomorrow

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia tomorrow to perform Umrah has started a rumour in the party that she would meet her elder son Tarique Rahman during the trip.

Party top brass said Tarique wouldn't fly to Saudi during Khaleda's tour, as he has to take treatment at a London hospital twice a week.

But many journalists have made preparations to cover the possible reunion of the mother and son.

Tarique, also senior vice chairman of the party, is reportedly under treatment in London. He left the country on Sep 11, 2007 after obtaining bail in all cases.

Khaleda's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko released on parole left for Bangkok on July 19, 2008. He too is reportedly sick.

The two haven't met their mother since they went aboard.

Tension heightened among party activists and supporters as the government recently raised questions about the illness of Tarique and Koko.

They alleged the government is trying to implicate Tarique in August 21 grenade attack case and planning to force Koko to return home by cancelling his parole only to keep BNP and its chief Khaleda Zia under pressure.

“The government wants to mount pressure on Khaleda Zia using the false cases against them so that she refrains from organising any movement,” said Kamal Mia, 54, a party member, who came from Comilla to meet a central leader.

While talking to The Daily Star, Zahidul Islam, party's Naogaon district unit general secretary, said, “Grassroots leaders and workers are really worried about chairperson's sons as they think government made them a target to prolong its tenure.”

Mahbubul Alam, party's Barguna district unit president, said grassroots workers and supporters are worried about Tarique and Koko and the government's attitude to them made them apprehensive.

“Is it democracy? The government adopted a hostile attitude to Tarique and Koko as it wants to destroy Zia family,” he added.

Against this backdrop, Khaleda Zia's Saudi trip piqued curiosity in and outside BNP. Party chairperson's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, however, ruled out Tarique's meeting with his mother in Saudi Arabia.

Party insiders said Koko's wife and daughter, chairperson's adviser Mosaddek Ali Falu and BNP Vice President Shamser Mobin Chowdhury may be in Khaleda's entourage.

-Daily Star