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Standing barefoot on Bangladeshi soil moments after landing in Dhaka, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman marked his return to the country Thursday after more than 17 years in self-exile. Thousands of supporters gathered as he arrived ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections.
Rahman landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning and later addressed supporters in the capital, calling for peace and stability amid political unrest following the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. His return comes as the BNP positions itself as the frontrunner after the Awami League was barred from contesting the polls.
‘We want to build a safe Bangladesh’
Addressing a gathering hours later, the 60-year-old said he had a plan to build an “inclusive Bangladesh” where people across religions and regions could live without fear.
He referred to the country’s religious and regional diversity, saying, “We have people from the hills and the plains in this country: Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. We want to build a safe Bangladesh, where every woman, man and child can leave home safely,” he said.
Rahman also invoked the country’s independence struggle, saying people from all walks of life came together in 2024, as they did in 1971, to defend Bangladesh’s sovereignty: a reference to last year’s mass protests that led to the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government.
Security, politics and regional tensions
Rahman arrived in Dhaka with his wife Zubaida and daughter Zaima. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other senior leaders received him at the airport. Authorities deployed around 4,000 personnel from the army, Border Guard Bangladesh and police across the capital for security. Rahman left the airport in a bulletproof bus.
Before departing, he spoke by phone with interim government chief Muhammad Yunus and thanked him for security arrangements. “I thank you on behalf of myself and my family. Specially, my sincere gratitude for the measures taken for my security,” Rahman was seen telling Yunus in a video shared by BNP.
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De facto BNP chief
Rahman has lived in London since 2008 and effectively led the BNP from abroad since 2018 due to former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s ill health.
The BNP expects to gain from the February polls after authorities barred the Awami League under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Jamaat-e-Islami, which allied with the BNP during its 2001–2006 tenure, has emerged as a key rival in the current political landscape.
Rahman did not refer to India in his speech. His return coincides with a strain in India-Bangladesh relations following Hadi’s killing, which sparked protests after allegations of Indian involvement circulated. India has sought a thorough probe and raised concerns over attacks on minorities, including Hindus, after the interim government took charge.
