Bangladesh remains gripped by concern as BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, critically ill and under intensive care, may be flown to London for advanced treatment—though the plan now hinges entirely on her health. The day began with confident announcements of an airlift on a Qatari-provided air ambulance. By nightfall, however, the question had shifted: not when she would fly, but whether she could fly at all. The original aircraft faced technical issues, and her condition reportedly deteriorated, delaying the journey. BNP leaders emphasised that Khaleda would be transferred abroad only if the medical board clears her for a long-haul flight, ensuring her body can withstand hours in the air. A senior party official said the medical board had initially approved the transfer on Thursday after observing some improvement. “But her condition worsened overnight, which is also a reason for the delay,” he added. The board is now reviewing her status again. In a show of familial and political support, Khaleda’s daughter-in-law, Dr Zubaida Rahman, arrived in Dhaka from London on Friday morning to accompany her on the trip. Dr Zubaida, a physician and member of Khaleda’s medical board, proceeded directly to Evercare Hospital in Bashundhara, where the former prime minister has been admitted since 23 November. Across the country, thousands attended special prayers after Friday Jum’a services, seeking Khaleda’s recovery. BNP units organised additional supplications, while prominent figures, including the chiefs of the armed forces, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shafiqur Rahman, and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, have visited her at the hospital. A 12-member medical board led by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder, supported by specialists from China and the UK, has been overseeing Khaleda’s treatment. On Thursday, the board met with foreign experts and confirmed the need for transfer abroad, but the air ambulance’s technical failure and her fluctuating condition have postponed the operation. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reiterated that the transfer will proceed only if Khaleda is fit to travel. “If the air ambulance arrives on Saturday and the medical board agrees, she can be flown to London on Sunday,” he said. He also highlighted her long-standing commitment to democracy, recalling her years in prison and ongoing health struggles that date back to Covid-19, which exacerbated her chronic conditions. Dr Zubaida Rahman visited Khaleda’s bedside on Friday, met with doctors to discuss her latest condition, and later went to her parental home in Dhanmondi. According to BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan, Khaleda remains in a critical state under the watch of the medical board. The former prime minister, 79, suffers from arthritis, diabetes, and complex multi-organ complications, including her kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, and eyes. Since her release from prison in 2020, she has largely stayed away from political events, though her return from treatment in London earlier this year gave renewed momentum to the BNP. She had planned to contest three constituencies in the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for February. The Qatari government initially arranged a special air ambulance for the transfer, but it was grounded due to mechanical failure. A replacement aircraft, provided by the German firm FAI Aviation and leased from Nuremberg, is now set to fly Khaleda to London. The Bombardier Challenger CL-60 twin-engine aircraft is fully equipped with advanced medical facilities and is expected to fly via refuelling stops en route. As the nation watches anxiously, the timeline for Khaleda Zia’s departure remains uncertain. The final decision rests with her medical team, who continue to monitor her condition closely. Meanwhile, BNP leaders and supporters across the country are holding prayers and gatherings, reflecting widespread concern for the health of a leader who has played a defining role in Bangladesh’s democratic history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on Friday to expand and diversify trade beyond oil and defence despite Western pressure on New Delhi to scale back its decades-old close ties with Moscow. India, the world's top buyer of Russian arms and seaborne oil, has rolled out the red carpet for Putin during his two-day state visit, his first to New Delhi since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The trip coincides with New Delhi's talks with the US on a trade deal to cut punitive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on its goods over India's purchases of Russian oil. Russia has said it wants to import more Indian goods in an effort to grow trade to $100 billion by 2030. It has so far been skewed in Moscow's favour due to New Delhi's energy imports. TIES HAVE 'STOOD TEST OF TIME', SAYS MODI Describing India's enduring partnership with Russia as "a guiding star", Modi said: "Based on mutual respect and deep trust, these relations have always stood the test of time." "...we have agreed on an economic cooperation programme for the period up to 2030. This will make our trade and investment more diversified, balanced, and sustainable," he told reporters, with Putin by his side. Modi, who warmly embraced Putin on the airport tarmac when he arrived on Thursday, also reiterated India's support for a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine. Putin said Russia would continue to ensure "uninterrupted fuel supplies" to India, signalling a defiant stance in the face of US sanctions, and also flagged a project underway to build India’s largest nuclear power plant at Kudankulam. A joint statement issued following the summit said: "The leaders emphasised that in the current complex, tense, and uncertain geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to external pressure." 21-GUN SALUTE WELCOME Putin received a ceremonial welcome on Friday on the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the colonial-era presidential palace, with a 21-gun salute as his convoy drove in. A large business and government delegation has accompanied Putin. Among the deals signed, the two countries agreed to help Indians move to Russia for work, to set up a joint venture fertiliser plant in Russia, and boost cooperation in agriculture, healthcare and shipping. They also agreed to reshape their defence ties to take account of New Delhi's push for self-reliance through joint research and development, as well as the production of advanced defence platforms. This would include joint production in India of spare parts, components, assemblies, and other products for servicing Russian weapons and military equipment. PUTIN CHALLENGES WASHINGTON In an interview with broadcaster India Today aired late on Thursday, Putin challenged US pressure on India not to buy Russian fuel. "If the US has the right to buy our (nuclear) fuel, why shouldn't India have the same privilege?" he said, adding that he would discuss the matter with Trump. Energy trade with India is "running smoothly" despite a minor dip in the first nine months of 2025, he said. India has said Trump's tariffs are unjustified and unreasonable, noting continued US trade with Moscow. The US and European Union still import billions of dollars worth of Russian energy and commodities, ranging from liquefied natural gas to enriched uranium, despite economic sanctions. Since European countries have sought to cut their reliance on Russian energy over the Ukraine war, India ramped up its purchases of discounted Russian crude, only to reduce them under pressure from US tariffs and sanctions this year. "India faces a conundrum; by taking steps to strengthen ties with Moscow or Washington, New Delhi risks setting back ties with the other," Michael Kugelman, senior fellow at Washington's Atlantic Council think tank, wrote in Foreign Policy magazine.

Cooking oil prices continue to remain elevated, despite government directives urging traders to maintain reasonable rates. Many buyers in Dhaka’s kitchen markets reported that traders have increased the price of cooking oil, disregarding official warnings against unapproved hikes. Retailers received a fresh batch of bottled soybean oil, now priced at Tk 198 per litre—up by Tk 9 from the previous rate. Consumers were seen purchasing the oil at Mohakhali kitchen market on Friday, navigating the higher costs as supplies reach the shelves. “We have bottled cooking oil at both old and new prices,” said abdur Rahman, a grocer at the kitchen market. The price of five liters of cooking oil rose by Tk 43 to Tk 965 from Tk 922. For a two-litre bottle, the price has been increased by Tk 8 to Tk 396. The rise in the price put consumers and sellers in trouble. The price hike comes just a day after Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin told the media that the government served show cause notice on the traders who had earlier announced to increase the oil price without the government’s approval. He said traders were also invited for talks over the matter. The Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association had announced on Oct 14 their decision to raise edible oil prices. The oil price, however, had been increased even before the association announced its decision. The price of a kg of local onion was increased by Tk 10, currently selling at Tk 140. “Onion price is supposed to drop during winter. A kg of onion should have cost a maximum of Tk 80,” said Idris Ali, a consumer interviewed at Mohakhali kitchen market. Winter vegetables, on the other hand, continued to sell at high prices, which were supposed to fall with an increase in their supplies. The local tomato price has remained at Tk 80 per kg. Kidney beans are sold at Tk 80 a kg, eggplants at Tk 100 and a piece of cauliflower at Tk 40. The price of a kg of parsley was dropped by Tk 30. The price of a kg of green chili was reduced by up to Tk 40. The price of large tilapia has increased by up to Tk 70. The price of juvenile hilsa has also been increased by Tk 200 a kg.