BNP spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon today said party chief Khaleda Zia would visit Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah in a convenient time after the month of Ramadan.  

“Like the previous years, Khaleda Zia was invited by the Saudi government this year for performing Umrah as she used to do it during the month of Ramadan every year,” Ripon said while speaking at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters today.

“But our party chief was not feeling well physically from the beginning of Ramadan. So she thought not to visit Saudi Arabia this year. Despite this, it is her personal matter whether she would visit Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah this year,” he added.       

“It is not political matter anyhow. Khaleda Zia’s invitation is still valid and she can visit Saudi Arabia along with her family members anytime to perform Umrah there,” Ripon, also foreign affairs secretary of the party, said.

Earlier on Monday, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told journalists about the BNP chief's scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia.

Two days after the announcement, a BNP senior leader yesterday told The Daily Star that Khaleda postponed her visit on Tuesday night after discussion with Tarique and senior leaders as her elder son Tarique Rahman did not get a visa from London.

Ripon however told reporters that the BNP chief was not interested to perform Umrah as most of the party leaders are now in jail.