Zubaida Rahman returns home after 17 years

After a prolonged 17-year, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's elder daughter-in-law Dr Zubaida Rahman returned home today as she left for London on September 11, 2008 along with her husband BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

She was subjected to hostility of the deposed autocratic Awami League government as she could not return home for 17 years after leaving the country. During the time, she had been living in London with her husband Tarique Rahman and their only child, Zaima Rahman.

Zubaida Rahman and Khaleda Zia's younger son late Arafat Rahman's wife Syeda Sharmila Rahman accompanied the three-time former prime minister while returning home from London after four months of her medical treatment at the prestigious London Clinic.

A motorcade carrying the BNP chief and her two daughters-in-law reached her Feroza residence in the city around 1:25pm.

Earlier, a special air ambulance of the Qatari royal family carrying them touched down at the capital's Shahjalal International Airport at around 10:43 am.

BNP media cell member Shyrul Kabir Khan said Zubaida Rahman is now staying at Feroza with her mother-in-law Begum Khaleda Zia.

She will then move to her father's house in Dhanmondi here. The house, known as 'Mahbub Bhaban', belongs to her late father, former Navy Chief Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan.

Preparations are also underway to welcome Zubaida at her ancestral home. She will stay with her ailing mother after returning home.

Zubaida Rahman obtained MBBS degree from Dhaka Medical College. Later, she did her MSc in Medicine from Imperial College, London.

She stood first in the Civil Service (BCS) examination for doctors and joined the government service as a physician in 1995.

However, after going to London on education leave in 2008, the Ministry of Health dismissed her in an excuse of not returning to work even after her leave was extended for a second term.

During her stay in London, Zubaida Rahman had been involved in various humanitarian activities through the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, reports BSS.