BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to Return to Bangladesh on 25 December

Dhaka, 13 December 2025 – BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman is set to return to Bangladesh on 25 December, the party confirmed on Friday night. 

The announcement was made by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a briefing held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office at 9:30 pm. Mirza Fakhrul stated that Tarique Rahman will arrive in Dhaka on the scheduled date and will be officially welcomed by the party.

Tarique Rahman was arrested during the political turmoil of 1/11 in 2007. After being released from prison in 2008, he went to the United Kingdom with his family for medical treatment and has been residing there since. Following the 5 August uprising by students and the general public last year, which led to the fall of the Awami League government, Tarique Rahman’s sentences in several cases were annulled, and he was legally cleared in some others. Discussions regarding his return to the country began soon after.

However, no official date for his return had been announced until now. During the critical illness of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, it was widely assumed that Tarique Rahman would return quickly. At that time, he expressed on his verified Facebook page that, despite longing for his mother’s affection, his ability to make independent decisions was limited. He also stated that he would return once the appropriate political conditions were in place.

The government has confirmed that there are no legal barriers to his return. At the briefing, following the BNP Standing Committee meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said, “The obstacles to democratic progress will be removed with Tarique Rahman’s return.” He urged party leaders and activists to ensure his return proceeds smoothly.

Mirza Fakhrul also condemned the recent shooting incident involving Osman Hadi, convener of Inqilab Manch. He called for those responsible to be quickly identified and brought under the law, alleging that the incident may be part of a conspiracy to disrupt the country’s upcoming elections.

Another Standing Committee member, Mirza Abbas, who is contesting from Dhaka-8, faced a tense situation when he visited the injured person in the hospital. Fakhrul claimed that some individuals and supporters were attempting to blame BNP for the incident and warned that the party would respond if such provocations continued.

He emphasized that BNP does not seek unrest or violence but is prepared to respond appropriately if attacked. Fakhrul called on everyone to maintain a peaceful environment and cooperate to ensure free and fair elections, warning that otherwise, the country’s path toward democratic progress could be obstructed.

The briefing was attended by BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, and Major (Retd.) Hafizuddin.