Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and widely viewed as a leading contender for prime minister, returned to Bangladesh on Thursday after 17 years in exile.
His arrival from Britain marked a major moment in the crisis-hit country’s political landscape ahead of national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026, under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Rahman, accompanied by his wife and daughter, landed at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, later travelled to Dhaka.
In capital Dhaka, police and security agencies were placed on a high alert amid expectations of large crowds. Despite cold weather, significant numbers of BNP supporters and activists gathered at the airport to welcome him.
The 60-year-old politician is the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who has been seriously ill for months. Party insiders said Rahman’s return was prompted both by his mother’s health and by rapidly changing political circumstances.
Rahman has lived in London since 2008, facing multiple criminal convictions in Bangladesh, including charges of money laundering and involvement in a plot to assassinate then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Following Hasina’s ouster from power last year, Rahman was acquitted of all charges, clearing the legal obstacles that had prevented his return.
His homecoming comes as the BNP gains momentum after the exit of its long-time rival, Sheikh Hasina, in a student-led uprising.
Apart from brief transitional governments, Khaleda Zia and Hasina dominated Bangladesh’s politics for more than three decades, alternating in power since 1991.
A December survey by the US-based International Republican Institute suggests the BNP is on track to win the largest number of seats, with Jamaat-e-Islami also emerging as a key contender. Hasina’s Awami League, which has been barred from contesting the election, has threatened unrest, raising concerns about the vote’s security.
The election is widely seen as crucial to restoring political stability after nearly two years of turmoil in the Muslim-majority nation of about 175 million people.
While the interim government has pledged to ensure a free and peaceful vote, recent attacks on media outlets and sporadic violence have heightened concerns over law enforcement and public safety.
Rahman’s return is viewed as a test for both the BNP’s ability to mobilize supporters peacefully and the interim administration’s commitment to a credible transfer of power.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), which emerged from the youth-led protest movement that toppled Hasina, welcomed Rahman’s return.
“Tarique Rahman was forced into exile under severe pressure and threats, so his homecoming carries symbolic weight,” said NCP spokesperson Khan Muhammad Mursalin. “His arrival will undoubtedly energize party leaders and supporters. On the path to democracy, we will stand with him.”
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
