Key Points:
- Tarique Rahman arrived in Dhaka on Thursday after 17 years of self-imposed exile in London
- Traveled with wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman on special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight
- Greeted by top BNP leaders at airport, planned to address massive rally of millions of supporters
- Scheduled to visit his ailing mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, in hospital
- Considered strongest contender for prime minister’s post in upcoming elections
- Interim government led by Muhammad Yunus implemented unprecedented security measures for his return
- Jamaat-e-Islami, former BNP ally, now positioning itself as major rival, creating three-way political contest
- Rahman plans to pay respects at grave of student leader Usman Hadi, symbol of youth anger
Bangladesh is experiencing a pivotal political transformation as Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), returned to Dhaka from London on Thursday after 17 years of self-imposed exile. His arrival marks a significant moment in the nation’s political history, coming at a time when the country is navigating through violence, instability, and the aftermath of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure.
The 60-year-old Rahman, who fled to the United Kingdom in 2008 following his arrest on corruption charges, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport aboard a special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman. Photographs from inside the aircraft captured the family’s emotional moment as they prepared to return to their homeland after nearly two decades.
Upon landing, Rahman received a hero’s welcome from top BNP leaders who had mobilized massive crowds to demonstrate the party’s strength. The BNP organized what they hoped would be a gathering of millions of supporters in the capital, transforming Dhaka into a sea of party flags and banners. From the airport, Rahman was scheduled to proceed directly to a large rally where he would outline his vision for Bangladesh’s future before visiting his mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who remains hospitalized with serious health conditions.
Rahman’s return fundamentally alters the political equation in Bangladesh, positioning him as the strongest contender for the prime minister’s post in the upcoming elections. During the BNP’s tenure from 2001 to 2006, Rahman wielded considerable influence as the party’s senior vice president, earning a reputation as one of the most powerful figures in the government. With Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League now dissolved, the BNP has emerged as the primary political force, though it faces new challenges from former allies turned rivals.
The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has responded to Rahman’s return with unprecedented security measures, reflecting concerns about potential unrest. Radical organizations, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami, which once formed a crucial alliance with the BNP, now view Rahman as a threat to their own ambitions. Jamaat-e-Islami is positioning itself as a major rival, transforming what could have been a straightforward contest into a complex three-way race for power.
Rahman’s political journey has been marked by controversy, including his 2007 arrest on money laundering charges and subsequent departure for medical treatment in the UK. Upon his return, he faces the immediate challenge of addressing Bangladesh’s deteriorating law and order situation while rebuilding a fractured political system. His first symbolic act will be paying respects at the grave of Usman Hadi, a student leader whose recent death has become a rallying point for youth anger across the country.
The coming weeks will test Rahman’s ability to consolidate support, reassure a nervous public, and navigate the complex dynamics of Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape. His success in addressing these challenges will determine whether his return marks a new chapter of stability or further intensifies the nation’s political turmoil.
