Awami League president and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who was released for eight weeks after 11-month detention on Wednesday, left Dhaka for London en route to the United States of America for treatment of her damaged ears yesterday (12 June).

"Maintain unity in the party at any cost. In my absence, Awami League will be run by the existing leadership who is now running the party," acting president of the party Zillur Rahman quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying prior to her departure for London at the VVIP lounge of the International Airport.

Amid unprecedented security with the deployment of police all alone the city street intersections from Sudha Sadan at Dhanmondi to the International Airport her motorcade was escorted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The Awami League president on board her jeep left Sudha Sadan for the airport at about 6-40 am.

On her way to the United States, Sheikh Hasina will meet her younger sister Sheikh Rehana in London and after arrival in the US she will meet son Sajib Wazed Joy in Florida and daughter Saima Wazed Putul in Canada.

The former premier left the airport by a British Airways flight (B-144) at about 8-20 am. She was accompanied by her special assistant and Awami League environment affairs secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud and chief personal security officer Brig Gen (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique.

Senior leaders of Awami League Zillur Rahman, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Syed Ashraful Islam, Mukul Bose, Advocate Abdul Hamid, Vice-principal Abdus Shaheed, Advocate Rahmat Ali, Abdul Mannan, Abdur Rahman, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, Dr Abdur Razzak, Dr Deepu Moni, Asim Kumar Ukil, BM Mozammel Huq and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury were present at the airport with bouquets and flower sticks.

Leaders of the associate bodies of the party including Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Nazma Akhter and Prof Apu Ukil also were present at the airport.

The law enforcers prevented entry of other party leaders and workers as well as reporters and photographers of print and electronic media into the main entrance to the Concourse Hall of the airport.

Later talking to newsmen in front of the main entrance of the Airport at about 8-45 am, acting general secretary of Awami League Syed Ashraful Islam said, "Our leader Sheikh Hasina has left for the United States for treatment. She will return home in due time soon after recovery of her illness. Sheikh Hasina has expressed her gratitude to the people for her release and sought their blessings and urged them to pray for her early recovery."

Syed Ashraf said, "We have told our leader to return home after completing her treatment. If you require anything, please let us know over telephone. Don't feel worried unnecessarily about the country while you are abroad."

He said, "The dialogue has started. We have taken part in it with our leader Sheikh Hasina. A meeting of the Awami League presidium will be convened within a day or two. We will take part in the dialogue under the leadership of the acting president of the party Zillur Rahman."

The Awami League leader informed the reporters that in her message to the party leaders and workers, Sheikh Hasina wished their wellbeing. "In whatever activities you are engaged now for the party, do that by keeping unity in the party," Syed Ashraf quoted Sheikh Hasina as asking her party leaders and workers.

When the reporters approached Zillur Rahman, he said that Sheikh Hasina has instructed them to maintain unity in the party.
Responding to a question, the veteran Awami League leader said the party has not taken any decision as yet regarding participation in the election but the party would take part in the dialogue.

Hundreds of leaders and workers of Awami League and its associate bodies, who were in and around Sudha Sadan since early morning of Wednesday, stayed on Road-5 at Dhanmondi throughout the night to see off their leader.