Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka on Thursday after spending 17 years in exile in London, marking a significant moment in the country’s turbulent political landscape.
Rahman, the elder son of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, arrived aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight earlier in the day. He had gone into self-imposed exile following the filing of multiple criminal cases against him during the tenure of the Awami League government.
His return comes at a critical juncture in Bangladeshi politics, with the interim government having announced national elections amid heightened political uncertainty. The period has been marked by frequent street unrest, with Islamist-led mobs often dominating public spaces, while many Awami League leaders are either incarcerated or living abroad.
The BNP, meanwhile, has faced its own challenges, with the party’s image dented by allegations of extortion and lawlessness involving its grassroots cadres in several parts of the country.
Despite the volatile backdrop, the BNP has planned a massive rally in Dhaka later in the day to welcome Rahman back. Party leaders see his return as a potential boost to the BNP’s prospects ahead of the upcoming elections.
Rahman’s re-entry into active politics is expected to reshape opposition strategy and could further intensify political contestation in the months ahead.
