After a long 17 years, Dr. Zobaida Rahman is returning to Bangladesh with her sister-in-law Khaleda Zia. Dr. Zobaida Rahman left Bangladesh on November 11, 2008, with her husband Tareq Rahman for London. Despite spending 17 years abroad, she could not return to the country. She has been living in London with her husband Tareq Rahman and their only child, Jaima Rahman.
Upon returning to Bangladesh, she will stay at her father’s residence, Mahbub Bhavan. After completing her medical treatment in London, on Tuesday (May 5), at 9:35 pm, a special air ambulance of Qatar Airways flew former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia from London’s Heathrow Airport to Dhaka for treatment. The air ambulance is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Wednesday (May 6) at 10:00 am.
In a corruption case involving ill-gotten wealth known on September 11, 2008, Tareq Rahman, his wife Dr. Zobaida Rahman, and mother-in-law Iqbal Mand Banu filed a case with the Kafrul Police Station against them. In this case, in a verdict of 2023, a court in Dhaka sentenced Zobaida Rahman to three years in prison and fined her 35 lakh taka. However, after the student-mass uprising on August 5, 2024, the political situation changed, and the sentence was suspended in court.
It is known that upon her return to the country, Zobaida Rahman will be staying at her father’s residence in Dhanmondi. The house, known as ‘Mahbub Bhavan’, is the residence of her late father, former Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan. The preparations are underway to welcome Zobaida at her ancestral home. She will stay with her ailing mother upon her return.
Atikur Rahman Ruman, a member of the BNP media cell, said that security arrangements for the residence are being made. CCTV cameras have been installed above the walls of the house. Apart from police personnel involved in security, BNP Chairperson’s Security Force (CSF) members will also be responsible for security.
He said that the house has been well monitored even before. However, considering Zobaida Rahman’s return, additional arrangements have been made. He added that BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has given specific instructions to ensure that security arrangements do not cause any inconvenience to the neighbors. It has been clearly stated that everything should be done with caution and respect for everyone.
Ruman said that there is a flower garden in front of Mahbub Bhavan and a designated guard room for security personnel. Mentioning armed security, police presence at the residence, and potential security threats to Zobaida Rahman, a request was made to the Inspector General of Police in a letter to establish an archway scanner by the BNP Chairperson’s Private Secretary ABM Sattar.
Ruman said that the police and intelligence agencies have already inspected the residence and outlined necessary security arrangements for her safety.
Zobaida Rahman graduated from Dhaka Medical College and obtained an MBBS degree. She later completed an MSc in Medicine from Imperial College London. She passed the Civil Service (BCS) examination for doctors in 1995 and joined the government job as a doctor. However, after going to London for education in 2008 and extending her leave, she was dismissed by the Ministry of Health even after extending her leave for a second term.
Zobaida Rahman was born in Sylhet district of Bangladesh. She is the daughter of late Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali. Mahbub Ali was the Chief of Navy during the tenure of President Ziaur Rahman and also served as Minister of Communication and Agriculture during the government of Hussain Muhammad Ershad. General M A G Osmani, the supreme commander of Bangladesh’s War of Independence, is Zobaida Rahman’s uncle.
On February 3, 1994, Zobaida Rahman married Tareq Rahman. She joined the BCS Health Cadre in 1995. In 2008, she came to London with her husband Tareq Rahman for his treatment.
According to sources from the BNP, Khaleda Zia’s travel companions, Zobaida Rahman, her son Arafat Rahman Koko, and Tareq Rahman’s wife Sayeda Sharmila Rahman, are expected to arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday (May 6) at 10 am.
On January 8, Khaleda Zia traveled to London on the same special air ambulance sent by Qatar. Upon arrival, she was admitted to a private hospital called London Clinic. She received treatment under the care of renowned experts Professor Patrick Kennedy and Professor Jennifer Cross for 17 days. From January 25, she received treatment at her elder son Tareq Rahman’s residence.
In the end, there is hope that Zobaida Rahman’s arrival in Dhaka will bring new dynamics to the political landscape of the country.
