In a major political development, Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is set to land in Dhaka on Thursday at noon, concluding over 17 years of self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. His homecoming occurs amidst a tense political climate marked by recent violence and ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12.
A Long-Awaited Political Return
Tarique Rahman, the 58-year-old elder son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is widely perceived as the principal face of the BNP for the upcoming polls, especially with his mother in poor health. According to BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, senior party leaders will welcome Rahman at the airport. From there, he will proceed to a reception on the July Expressway (300 Feet Road) to address the nation.
His first agenda includes visiting his ailing mother, Khaleda Zia, at the hospital before heading to his Gulshan-2 residence. As outlined in a Prothom Alo report, Rahman's initial three days are packed with symbolic and procedural engagements. On Friday, December 26, he will pay respects at the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and the National Martyrs’ Monument in Savar.
The following day, Saturday, December 27, holds critical importance. Rahman is expected to complete the formalities for his national identity card, a step that will officially register him as a voter and enable his direct participation in electoral politics. He will also visit the grave of martyred Osman Hadi at Dhaka University and meet victims of the July mass uprising at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Shyamoli.
Cleared Hurdles and a Changed Political Field
Rahman's return was facilitated by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain had earlier stated the government could issue a "one-time" travel pass swiftly if Rahman desired to come back. His legal path was cleared after Bangladesh's higher courts acquitted him in all major cases over the past year, including the 2004 grenade attack and the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
His return marks a pivotal moment in a nation whose political order was reshaped by the violent 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina and led to the disbanding of her Awami League by the interim administration. With the Awami League barred from contesting, the electoral landscape is fluid. The BNP's traditional alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami has fractured, and the emergence of the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) adds further uncertainty.
High Stakes and Regional Implications
The BNP is betting heavily on Rahman, viewing him as the most viable leader to unite the party and reclaim the Zia political legacy in the first election in nearly two decades without the Awami League. Political observers now consider the BNP a frontrunner, with Rahman a potential prime ministerial candidate should the party secure a majority.
His return could strain Bangladesh's ties with India, which have deteriorated sharply since Sheikh Hasina's ouster and her subsequent asylum in India. The BNP has criticized New Delhi for sheltering Hasina, and a BNP-led government, historically closer to Pakistan, would mark a significant shift from Hasina's pro-India foreign policy.
Furthermore, the BNP's resurgence comes with the challenge of rising mob violence and the resurgence of Islamist groups advocating for stricter religious norms. Party leaders have warned against attempts to impose Shariah law, highlighting the threat extremist forces pose to the country's liberal democratic politics as the nation gears up for a high-stakes electoral battle.
