Chicago – December 25, 2025
Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, landed in Dhaka on Thursday after nearly 17 years in self-imposed exile in London. The 60-year-old, often called the “Crown Prince” of Bangladeshi politics, arrived amid massive crowds of supporters waving flags and chanting slogans under tight security.
Rahman fled in 2008 amid criminal cases, including money laundering and an alleged assassination plot against ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but convictions were overturned after Hasina’s ouster in a 2024 student-led uprising. His return clears legal hurdles, positioning him as a top prime ministerial contender ahead of February 12 elections.
The BNP, leading polls with 30% support per a recent IRI survey, eyes a comeback after two decades out of power, especially with Hasina’s Awami League banned. Rahman plans to visit his critically ill mother, 80-year-old Khaleda Zia, hospitalized recently. Analysts see his homecoming as the “last piece of the puzzle” for BNP’s campaign, though challenges like integrating loyalists persist.
