What does Tarique Rahman’s return after nearly 17 years in exile mean for Bangladesh?

January 22, 2026

Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, returned to Bangladesh in January 2025 after spending nearly 17 years in exile in London, where he fled in 2008 amid what he claimed was political persecution under charges including corruption and attempted assassination. His homecoming follows his mother Khaleda Zia's death in December 2024 and comes as Bangladesh enters a critical period after the August 2024 student uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina's government. Rahman, now positioned as a leading prime ministerial candidate for the February 12 national elections, faces the challenge of uniting a deeply polarized nation experiencing religious violence and political uncertainty, while his Jamaat-e-Islami party explores renewed alliance with the controversial Islamist party.

Who is affected

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) members and supporters
Tarique Rahman (returning from exile)
Khaleda Zia (deceased former Prime Minister, Rahman's mother)
Religious minorities, women, artists, and dissenters experiencing violence
Indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region
Student-led National Citizens' Party (NCP), including 13 central leaders who resigned
Jamaat-e-Islami political party members
Bangladesh citizens and voters
Progressive and liberal factions of Bangladeshi society
The interim government
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the now-banned Awami League

What action is being taken

The Jamaat-e-Islami is attempting to thaw ties with the BNP ahead of national elections
Far-right Islamist forces are deliberately attempting to steer Bangladesh toward an Islamic theocracy
Progressive and liberal factions are searching for a political alternative
The BNP is seeking to occupy the political space vacated by the now-banned Awami League
Reports of dehumanizing treatment by security forces persist in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region

Why it matters

This represents a defining political moment for Bangladesh as the country navigates a democratic transition following the August 2024 uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina's government. Rahman's return fills a critical leadership vacuum within the BNP following his mother's death, positioning him as a frontrunner for prime minister in the upcoming February 12 elections. The situation matters because Bangladesh faces multiple crises simultaneously: ongoing violence against minorities and dissenters, potential alignment between mainstream and Islamist parties, loss of faith in the interim government's ability to restore order, and fundamental questions about whether the country will achieve democratic transition or descend into prolonged internal turmoil. The outcome will determine whether Bangladesh moves toward inclusive democracy or Islamic theocracy, affecting the lives of millions and the stability of the broader South Asian region.

What's next

National elections scheduled for February 12, 2025
Jamaat-e-Islami plans to sit down with BNP leaders immediately after elections, before forming government, to discuss creating a unity government
Rahman needs to make his unspecified "plan" public and demonstrate his ability to connect with the public and offer a credible roadmap for reform

Read full article from source: Global Voices