BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman Returns Home Amid Unrest and Election Fever

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman has ended his 17-year self-exile in the UK, returning to Dhaka on Thursday. His arrival comes amidst a surge in unrest and political instability following the murder of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who played a key role in the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rahman, 60, is the son of ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and has emerged as a leading contender for the top job in the upcoming February general elections. The BNP has taken the lead in the country's changing political landscape after overthrowing Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government in a student-led movement known as the July Uprising in August 2024. However, Jamaat-e-Islami and its Islamist allies, who were BNP's partners during their 2001-2006 tenure, are now emerging as the party's main rivals. Rahman's return assumes significance as Jamaat seeks to expand its influence in Bangladesh's fractured politics. BNP had announced his return on December 12, sparking speculation about his intentions, which were hinted at in a Facebook post on November 29, where he expressed a desire to be near his critically ill mother during her 'moment of crisis'.