Name: Rahman returns from exile with eye on Bangladesh leadership polls
Uploaded: 2025-12-26T05:21:47.678Z
Duration: 2 min 13 s
Description: Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting Chairman Tarique Rahman returned from nearly 17 years in exile, a homecoming the party hopes will energize supporters with Rahman poised to be the top contender for prime minister in the upcoming election.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting Chairman Tarique Rahman returned from nearly 17 years in exile, a homecoming the party hopes will energize supporters with Rahman poised to be the top contender for prime minister in the upcoming election.

Dhaka

Tariq Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has returned to Dhaka after nearly 17 years in exile, arriving from London under tight security. His homecoming comes as the BNP prepares for crucial elections scheduled for February, with Rahman now positioned as the party's top contender for prime minister.

Rahman's return follows the overturning of previous convictions after the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and coincides with a period of political transition under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus. The upcoming election is seen as pivotal for restoring stability, with the Awami League barred from participation and concerns raised over recent violence and threats of unrest.

Rahman returns from exile with eye on Bangladesh leadership polls

After nearly 17 years in exile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tariq Rahman returned to the country's capital, Dhaka, on Thursday. It's a homecoming the BNP hopes will energize supporters, with Rahman poised to be the top contender for prime minister in elections in February. Senior party leaders received him at Dhaka's airport under tight security after he flew in from London, where he has lived since 2008. Hundreds of thousands of supporters lined the route from the airport to the reception venue to welcome home the 60-year-old. In a speech to cheering crowds, Rahman vowed to build a Bangladesh that a mother dreams of. He urged citizens of all faiths to join him in creating an inclusive nation. The country is in a sensitive election period under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus. The February 12 ballot is widely seen as crucial to restoring political stability after nearly two years of turmoil. While authorities have pledged a free and peaceful election, recent attacks on media outlets and sporadic violence have raised concerns. But now, BNP supporters say they feel positive about the future. Tariq Rahman's return has given us new hope, this man said. While this supporter said it's like Eid festival, we believe he will bring peace. Rahman has led the BNP as acting chairman in exile since 2018. He had been convicted in absentia on charges that included money laundering and in a case linked to an alleged plot to assassinate former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The rulings were overturned after Hasina was ousted last year in a student-led uprising, clearing the legal barriers to his return. His homecoming also carries personal urgency. His mother, the former Prime Minister Khalida Zia, is seriously ill. The political landscape has shifted sharply since Hasina's removal from power, ending decades in which she and Khalida largely alternated in office. Hasina's Awami League party has been barred from the upcoming election. Members have threatened unrest, which some fear could disrupt the vote.

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