The air ambulance arranged for ailing former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s transfer to London will now arrive from Germany, after Qatar moved to rent an alternative aircraft following “technical complications” with the Emir’s special air ambulance.

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

He said the aircraft will be dispatched in accordance with recommendations from Khaleda Zia’s medical team and indicated that four to five more days may be required for final medical clearance, based on ongoing correspondence between the Qatar Embassy and BNP officials.

German CL60 aircraft to be used

The replacement aircraft is a Bombardier Challenger 604 (CL60) operated by FAI Aviation Group, Germany’s leading provider of global air-ambulance and mission-critical aviation services.

FAI’s fleet of Bombardier business jets is widely used for long-range medical evacuation, and the Challenger 604 is recognised for its transcontinental capability, making it suitable for Dhaka–London medical transport.

No landing request submitted yet

Despite the diplomatic coordination, aviation authorities confirmed that no formal approach has been made for the aircraft to land in Dhaka.

A highly placed Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) official told Aviation Express this morning that no flight schedule, landing request or prior notification—requirements for all medical evacuation flights—has been submitted to CAAB or Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

“No schedule for landing any air ambulance has been asked to CAAB so far,” the official said, adding that no operational preparations are currently underway.

He noted that while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ protocol wing is working closely with Qatar, the aircraft will originate from a third country under Qatar’s arrangement.

BNP confirms delay amid technical issues

Earlier on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the planned transfer had been delayed because the originally designated Qatar air ambulance had not reached Dhaka.

He stated that the aircraft had encountered technical problems and could arrive Saturday if the issues were resolved swiftly.

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

Family member arrives in Dhaka

Amid intensifying concern over the BNP chairperson’s condition, 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 exchanges accelerate

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday sent a note verbale to the Qatar Embassy requesting support for Khaleda Zia’s medical evacuation.

Qatar responded positively, assuring that the rented German air ambulance would be deployed once her medical team green-lights travel.

BNP has separately written to the Qatar Embassy seeking logistical assistance for transporting the former prime minister to London.