After 17 Years, Former PM Khaleda Zia’s Son Set To Return As Bangladesh Heads For Polls

Last Updated:December 22, 2025, 19:29 IST

Tarique Rahman’s return comes at a politically significant moment, just months ahead of national elections scheduled in Bangladesh for February 2026.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is set to return to Bangladesh on Thursday, ending a 17-year absence from the country.

His return comes at a politically significant moment, just months ahead of national elections scheduled for February 2026.

The BNP has received permission to organise a reception to mark Rahman’s homecoming.

Seen as the party’s chief strategist and political heir, Rahman’s return is expected to reshape the opposition’s campaign as Bangladesh navigates a volatile political climate marked by violence and rising influence of radical groups.

Rahman’s arrival coincides with growing political uncertainty under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

The BNP remains widely viewed as a frontrunner in the upcoming polls, particularly after the Bangladesh Awami League was barred from contesting the elections. Party leaders believe Rahman’s presence could further consolidate support unless there is a major political upset.

In recent months, Rahman has been vocal in outlining the BNP’s political and foreign policy positions, often drawing a distinction between his party and the interim administration.

In May, he questioned the interim government’s authority to take long-term foreign policy decisions without an electoral mandate and reiterated the BNP’s demand for timely elections and democratic reforms.

At a rally in Dhaka’s Nayapaltan area, Rahman articulated what he termed a “Bangladesh First” policy, stressing that national interest would take precedence over alignment with any external power.

His remarks were seen as a departure from the interim government’s foreign policy approach and a contrast to the policies pursued by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had maintained close ties with India while balancing relations with China and keeping distance from Pakistan.

While the BNP has consistently criticised the Hasina government for what it described as authoritarianism and erosion of democratic institutions, it has also clashed with the Yunus-led interim administration over the timing of elections.

Political observers say sustained pressure from the BNP played a key role in the announcement of the February polls.

With the Awami League out of the electoral fray, the BNP has emerged as the central force in Bangladesh’s political landscape.

Delays in the election process are seen as detrimental to the BNP, whose campaign momentum has already built up, while rival groups are still organising at the grassroots level.

The BNP has already collected nomination papers for Khaleda Zia from the Bogura-7 constituency, while Tarique Rahman is expected to contest from Bogura-6 (Sadar), a seat his mother won repeatedly between 1991 and 2008.

Addressing party workers earlier this month, Rahman positioned himself as a proponent of democratic restoration, saying that only an elected government could stabilise the country.

Rahman left Bangladesh in 2008 after spending 18 months in jail and subsequently moved to the United Kingdom with his family.

His return marks a major political development in the run-up to what is shaping up to be one of the most consequential elections in Bangladesh’s recent history.

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