BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia -File Photo

DHAKA, Dec 5, 2025 (BSS) – The air ambulance arranged for former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s medical transfer to London will come from Germany under a Qatar government facilitated arrangement. 

“The Qatar government is renting an air ambulance, and it will come to Dhaka from Germany.” Public Relations Officer of the Qatar Embassy in Dhaka Asadur Rahman Asad told BSS here this evening.

He said the aircraft is expected to arrive as per recommendations from Khaleda Zia’s medical team.

Initially, the former prime minister was scheduled to travel on the Emir of Qatar’s special air ambulance, but “technical glitch” led Qatar to arrange an alternative aircraft, he said.

The Qatar government has rented the air ambulance that is a Bombardier Challenger 604 (CL60), operated by FAI Aviation Group, Germany’s leading provider of global air-ambulance and mission-critical aviation services.

The company operates a fleet of Bombardier business jets, used for both medical evacuation and VIP transport.

The Challenger 604 is known for its long-range, transcontinental capability suitable for intercontinental medical flights.

Earlier on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Khaleda Zia’s planned medical transfer had been delayed because the original Qatar aircraft had not reached Dhaka due to technical issues.

He said the aircraft might arrive Saturday if problems were resolved.

“If Madam (Khaleda) is fit to travel and the medical board approves, then, Insha Allah, she will fly out on December 7 (Sunday),” he told reporters.

Amid the developments, Zubaida Rahman, wife of acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and daughter-in-law of Khaleda Zia arrived in Dhaka on Friday morning on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

Diplomatic activity has intensified around the evacuation as on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note verbale to the Qatar Embassy requesting assistance.

Qatar responded positively, saying the air ambulance would be deployed once Khaleda Zia is medically cleared to travel.

BNP also sent a separate letter requesting logistical support for transporting the ailing former prime minister to England.