Tarique Rahman, Son of Ex-PM Khaleda Zia, Returns Home After 17 Years in Exile
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on Thursday, ending more than 17 years of self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. His arrival comes at a crucial moment, as the country prepares for high-stakes parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12.
Rahman, the elder son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia , left Bangladesh in 2008 for medical treatment amid mounting legal and political pressure. His long-awaited return places him back at the centre of national politics after more than a decade of leading the party from abroad.
A Central Figure Ahead of National Elections
With Khaleda Zia remaining unwell and largely away from active political duties, Tarique Rahman has emerged as the BNP’s principal face ahead of the upcoming polls. Party leaders believe his presence on the ground will energise supporters and help consolidate the opposition vote during a period of political transition.
Bangladesh has seen recurring unrest since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The recent killing of youth leader Osman Hadi, who played a key role in Hasina’s removal, has further intensified tensions. Hadi’s brother has alleged that the murder was intended to “sabotage polls”, adding to concerns over election-related violence.
Interim Government Clears the Way
Rahman’s return was made possible by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Earlier this month, foreign advisor Md Touhid Hossain said the government could issue a “one-time” travel pass if Rahman chose to return. Yunus also discussed Rahman’s return during a recent meeting, officials confirmed.
BNP leaders said Rahman will complete voter registration formalities on December 27, enabling him to directly participate in electoral politics for the first time in nearly two decades.
Earlier, Rahman had told BBC Bangla, “For some reasonable reasons my return has not happened... but the time has come, and I will return soon… I am running in the election [as well].”
Who Is Tarique Rahman?
Tarique Rahman, 58, is the acting chairman of the BNP and is widely regarded as its de facto leader. He lived in self-exile in London since 2008 after leaving Bangladesh amid multiple criminal convictions, including money laundering and charges linked to an alleged plot to assassinate then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Over the past year, Bangladesh’s higher courts have acquitted him in all major cases, including the 2004 grenade attack and the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. These verdicts removed the legal hurdles that had kept him away from frontline politics and paved the way for his return.
Why His Return Matters
Rahman’s homecoming coincides with one of Bangladesh’s most turbulent political periods in decades. A nationwide uprising last year forced Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country after 15 years in power. In the aftermath, a Yunus-led interim government took charge to oversee reforms and ensure a fair electoral process.
For the BNP, Rahman’s return is both symbolic and strategic. It ends years of remote leadership and strengthens the party’s position as the main challenger in the February elections. Supporters see him as a unifying force capable of reviving the party’s momentum after years of legal and political setbacks.
Could Tarique Rahman Be the Next Prime Minister?
Bangladesh’s political order has been reshaped following the violent 2024 uprising and the disbanding of the Awami League by the interim government. Traditional political alliances have fractured, including the long-standing BNP–Jamaat partnership, while the emergence of the student-led National Citizen Party has added further uncertainty.
With Khaleda Zia, now 80, battling serious health issues, the BNP is placing its faith in Tarique Rahman as its most viable leader. Political observers view the BNP as a frontrunner, and Rahman is increasingly being tipped as a potential prime ministerial candidate if the party secures a majority.
Khaleda Zia’s Political Legacy
For over three decades, Bangladesh’s politics has alternated between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. Zia was the country’s first female prime minister, serving from 1991 to 1995 and again from 2001 to 2006.
Her tenure remains influential but controversial, marked by allegations of corruption, governance failures, and discrimination against minorities. In 2018, Zia was sentenced to five years in prison on graft charges, a development that significantly altered the BNP’s leadership structure.
Rahman’s Schedule After His Return
According to BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, senior party leaders received Rahman at the airport before he proceeded to a public reception on the July Expressway, also known as the 300 Feet Road, where he addressed the nation.
Rahman later visited Khaleda Zia at the hospital before returning to his residence in Gulshan-2. On Friday, December 26, he is scheduled to visit the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, followed by a visit to the National Martyrs’ Monument in Savar.
On Saturday, December 27, Rahman is expected to complete his national identity card procedures, visit the grave of martyred Osman Hadi at Dhaka University, and meet those injured during the July mass uprising at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Shyamoli.
Rahman, the elder son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia , left Bangladesh in 2008 for medical treatment amid mounting legal and political pressure. His long-awaited return places him back at the centre of national politics after more than a decade of leading the party from abroad.
A Central Figure Ahead of National Elections
With Khaleda Zia remaining unwell and largely away from active political duties, Tarique Rahman has emerged as the BNP’s principal face ahead of the upcoming polls. Party leaders believe his presence on the ground will energise supporters and help consolidate the opposition vote during a period of political transition.
Bangladesh has seen recurring unrest since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The recent killing of youth leader Osman Hadi, who played a key role in Hasina’s removal, has further intensified tensions. Hadi’s brother has alleged that the murder was intended to “sabotage polls”, adding to concerns over election-related violence.
Interim Government Clears the Way
Rahman’s return was made possible by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Earlier this month, foreign advisor Md Touhid Hossain said the government could issue a “one-time” travel pass if Rahman chose to return. Yunus also discussed Rahman’s return during a recent meeting, officials confirmed.
BNP leaders said Rahman will complete voter registration formalities on December 27, enabling him to directly participate in electoral politics for the first time in nearly two decades.
Earlier, Rahman had told BBC Bangla, “For some reasonable reasons my return has not happened... but the time has come, and I will return soon… I am running in the election [as well].”
Who Is Tarique Rahman?
Tarique Rahman, 58, is the acting chairman of the BNP and is widely regarded as its de facto leader. He lived in self-exile in London since 2008 after leaving Bangladesh amid multiple criminal convictions, including money laundering and charges linked to an alleged plot to assassinate then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Over the past year, Bangladesh’s higher courts have acquitted him in all major cases, including the 2004 grenade attack and the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. These verdicts removed the legal hurdles that had kept him away from frontline politics and paved the way for his return.
Why His Return Matters
Rahman’s homecoming coincides with one of Bangladesh’s most turbulent political periods in decades. A nationwide uprising last year forced Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country after 15 years in power. In the aftermath, a Yunus-led interim government took charge to oversee reforms and ensure a fair electoral process.
For the BNP, Rahman’s return is both symbolic and strategic. It ends years of remote leadership and strengthens the party’s position as the main challenger in the February elections. Supporters see him as a unifying force capable of reviving the party’s momentum after years of legal and political setbacks.
Could Tarique Rahman Be the Next Prime Minister?
Bangladesh’s political order has been reshaped following the violent 2024 uprising and the disbanding of the Awami League by the interim government. Traditional political alliances have fractured, including the long-standing BNP–Jamaat partnership, while the emergence of the student-led National Citizen Party has added further uncertainty.
With Khaleda Zia, now 80, battling serious health issues, the BNP is placing its faith in Tarique Rahman as its most viable leader. Political observers view the BNP as a frontrunner, and Rahman is increasingly being tipped as a potential prime ministerial candidate if the party secures a majority.
Khaleda Zia’s Political Legacy
For over three decades, Bangladesh’s politics has alternated between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. Zia was the country’s first female prime minister, serving from 1991 to 1995 and again from 2001 to 2006.
Her tenure remains influential but controversial, marked by allegations of corruption, governance failures, and discrimination against minorities. In 2018, Zia was sentenced to five years in prison on graft charges, a development that significantly altered the BNP’s leadership structure.
Rahman’s Schedule After His Return
According to BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, senior party leaders received Rahman at the airport before he proceeded to a public reception on the July Expressway, also known as the 300 Feet Road, where he addressed the nation.
Rahman later visited Khaleda Zia at the hospital before returning to his residence in Gulshan-2. On Friday, December 26, he is scheduled to visit the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, followed by a visit to the National Martyrs’ Monument in Savar.
On Saturday, December 27, Rahman is expected to complete his national identity card procedures, visit the grave of martyred Osman Hadi at Dhaka University, and meet those injured during the July mass uprising at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Shyamoli.
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