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New Delhi: Thousands of supporters poured onto the streets of Dhaka on Thursday to welcome Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who returned to the country after spending more than 17 years in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. His homecoming is being seen as a major political moment ahead of the general elections scheduled for February.
Rahman, 60, arrived in Dhaka from London accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and their daughter Zaima Rahman. According to local media reports, the family was also joined by their pet cat, Zeebu, and two close aides. Soon after his arrival, senior BNP leaders received him at the airport amid tight security arrangements.
Supporters and party workers marched on foot from Banani Airport Road towards Dhaka Airport, waving flags and chanting slogans to greet the BNP leader. From the airport, Rahman travelled in one of two specially imported bulletproof vehicles to a large reception programme organised in the Purbachal area, near the 300 Feet road. Party activists lined both sides of the route as his convoy passed through the city.
At the reception, Rahman is expected to address the gathering, with the BNP estimating a turnout running into millions. While senior party leaders and prominent figures will share the stage, Rahman alone will deliver the address, signalling his central role in the party’s future political strategy.
After the event, Rahman is scheduled to visit Evercare Hospital to meet his ailing mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who has been undergoing treatment there for over a month. The family will later proceed to Firoza, the Zia family residence in Gulshan-2.
Authorities in Dhaka have heightened security across key locations due to the high-profile nature of Rahman’s movements and ongoing political tensions. The country has witnessed unrest in recent weeks, including violence linked to the assassination of a student leader, raising concerns about law and order ahead of the polls.
Rahman’s return comes at a time when the BNP appears to be gaining political momentum following the removal of long-serving prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a student-led uprising last year. A recent survey by a US-based organisation suggested the BNP is likely to emerge as the largest party in parliament, though competition from Islamist parties remains significant. With the ruling Awami League barred from contesting and warning of possible unrest, observers believe the coming months will be crucial for Bangladesh’s political future.
Both personal and political factors appear to have influenced Rahman’s decision to return, with party insiders pointing to his mother’s failing health as an immediate trigger for the long-awaited homecoming.
