Bangladesh opposition leader Tarique Rahman set for historic homecoming

BNP plans historic rally as Rahman, seen as a key leader, marks his highly anticipated homecoming.Published On 24 Dec 2025Bangladesh’s main opposition party says it is preparing a vast show of support as its leader, Tarique Rahman, prepares to return home after nearly 17 years in exile.The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) aims to mobilise up to five million supporters in the capital to welcome Rahman, who is widely viewed as the party’s prime ministerial frontrunner for the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled for February.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3How volatile is the political situation in Bangladesh?list 2 of 3Hindutva protest at Bangladesh High Commission over lynching of Hindu manlist 3 of 3UN’s top court to hold Myanmar genocide hearings in Januaryend of listHis expected arrival from London on Thursday comes as the BNP regains momentum after the removal of longtime leader Sheikh Hasina in a student-led uprising last year.Rahman, 60, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and currently serves as the BNP’s acting chairman.Since 1991, power in Bangladesh has largely alternated between Zia and Hasina, apart from brief caretaker administrations. With Hasina’s Awami League barred from contesting the February 12 vote, the BNP now appears positioned to dominate the race.‘A defining political moment’BNP leaders say they are coordinating security arrangements with authorities for what they call an “unprecedented” mobilisation, with supporters expected to line the route from the airport to the reception venue.“This will be a defining political moment,” senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said.Rahman has lived in London since 2008 after facing multiple criminal convictions in Bangladesh, including money laundering and charges linked to an alleged plot to assassinate Hasina. Courts acquitted him following Hasina’s removal from office, removing the legal obstacles that had delayed his return.