The former prime minister and BNP chairperson herself and her younger brother Major (retd) Sayeed Iskandar confirmed that she is going to Saudi Arabia next week to perform Umrah.

Earlier, a senior BNP leader, who contacted Khaleda yesterday, told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity that Khaleda along with some family members will stay in Saudi Arabia for five to seven days.

Khaleda along with her family members, excepting younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, attended a family gathering at Iskandar's Baridhara residence last night.

Emerging from the house after 2 hours 35 minutes, a smiling Khaleda replied to a few questions of the awaiting reporters.

Iskander told reporters that Khaleda will leave for Saudi Arabia next week and that she requested the Saudi diplomat who met her Wednesday evening to issue visas for herself, younger son Koko and two daughters-in-law.

Journalists from both the print and electronic media rushed to 45 Park Road house of Iskandar and waited there for hours until Khaleda came out of the first floor of the house at 12:25am.

TV cameramen focused flashlights on Khaleda as soon as she came out of the house looking at the journalists with a smile.

Asked how she was, Khaleda uttered a single word: "Well".

The journalists then asked Khaleda if she is going to Saudi Arabia. Khaleda remained silent for a few seconds and then said, "Yes."

Asked if she has any message for the nation, Khaleda replied in the positive, saying, "I will tell everything on time."

A good number of plainclothes and uniformed police and personnel from different intelligence agencies cordoned Khaleda, who was apparently feeling well talking to the journalists. She looked eager to talk to them as if to pass some time in the crowd.

Meanwhile, a day after issuance of the government press note, a few close relatives and party leaders also met Khaleda at her cantonment residence before she went to Iskandar's house at about 9:45pm.

"Madam [Khaleda] is still in doubt whether the authorities have totally abandoned the plan to send her into exile or they have suspended the plan temporarily," said a BNP leader who met Khaleda last night.

The military-backed caretaker government on Wednesday officially declared its position, saying it has never pressured and is not pressing Khaleda regarding overseas trips or for leaving the country.

"The government also did not impose any restriction on her movement," said the press note, which was the first public statement by the government since April 16 when pressure reportedly began to compel Khaleda to leave the country.

Khaleda along with her two daughters-in-law Dr Zobaidah Rahman and Sharmila Rahman, three grandchildren Zaima Rahman, Zafira Rahman and Zahia Rahman, her elder sister Beauty and her husband and their son Saiful Islam Duke arrived at Iskandar's residence at 9:45pm.

BNP Joint Secretary General Gayeshwar Chandra Roy was also seen coming out of the house around 11:05pm.

Earlier, talking to reporters, Iskandar said the security personnel at Khaleda's residence obstructed him when he went to her residence yesterday afternoon. Later, however, he was allowed to enter the house.

"If there is no restriction, then why they obstructed me to enter my sister's house?" he said.