Khaleda Zia’s Son Tarique Rahman to Return to Bangladesh After 18 Years
BNP leader Tarique Rahman has announced his return to Bangladesh after nearly two decades abroad.
Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, announced on December 16, 2025, that he will return to Bangladesh after 17 years in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom. Speaking at a Victory Day event organised by the BNP at The City Pavilion Hall in London, Rahman declared his intention to lead the party on the ground following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government in August 2025.
Rahman, 58, fled Bangladesh in 2008 with his family shortly after his mother's arrest on corruption charges during a military-backed caretaker government. He has since been convicted in absentia in multiple cases, including graft and a 2004 grenade attack on an Awami League rally, though the BNP maintains these were politically motivated. Many convictions were stayed or overturned after the student-led revolution that toppled Hasina.
The announcement ends months of speculation about Rahman's return, which gained momentum after the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus lifted travel restrictions and reviewed politically charged cases. Rahman has been directing BNP activities remotely from London, where he has lived since receiving medical parole in 2008.
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BNP supporters celebrated the news as a major boost for the party ahead of expected elections in late 2026 or early 2027. Rahman is widely seen as Khaleda Zia's political heir and the driving force behind the BNP's resurgence following Hasina's departure to India.
Khaleda Zia, released from house arrest in August 2025 and later granted bail in remaining cases, has been recovering from health issues but remains a symbolic figure for the party. Her son's return is expected to consolidate BNP's position in the evolving political landscape. No exact date for Rahman's arrival has been confirmed, but party sources indicate it could occur within weeks, pending final legal clearances and security arrangements in Dhaka.
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