Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today received a warm reception and emotional greetings at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his return from London. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with party standing committee members, greeted the acting chairman at the VVIP lounge of the airport, where Tarique Rahman welcomed them with a wide smile and a warm handshake. He also exchanged pleasantries with BNP supporters present at the airport and waved towards them.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, his mother-in-law Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu welcomed him with a flower bouquet, as his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman accompanied him. Tarique Rahman returned to his homeland after 17 years in exile in the UK, arriving at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:40 am by a regular Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight. The aircraft made a one-hour stopover at Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport from London before landing in Dhaka, as confirmed by Biman’s Managing Director and CEO Dr. Md Shafiqur Rahman.
Members of the BNP Standing Committee extended a warm reception to him upon his arrival. Following his reception, Tarique Rahman plans to proceed to Evercare Hospital to be with his ailing mother and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. A brief public event is also scheduled on the July 36 Expressway (300-Foot Road), where the BNP acting chairman will express his gratitude to the people of the country on his way to the hospital. BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed emphasized that the event is not a public meeting or a formal reception program but an opportunity for Tarique Rahman to express his gratitude and seek prayers for Begum Khaleda Zia and all citizens.
Salahuddin further stated that Tarique Rahman does not support any program that could cause public inconvenience. In line with this, he requested expatriate leaders and supporters not to gather at the London airport and instructed against organizing any party program in Bangladesh that could create public disruption. To minimize public suffering, Tarique Rahman chose a government holiday for his return and planned a brief event on a less crowded road.
Despite efforts to manage the situation, Salahuddin acknowledged the challenge of controlling the influx of party activists and supporters eager to see their beloved leader after 17 years. The BNP has prepared a separate chamber for Tarique Rahman at the Chairperson’s office in Gulshan and rented a new office space to manage the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, in which Tarique Rahman will contest from the Bogura-6 constituency.
Tarique Rahman’s return is not only a personal or party event but a significant chapter in Bangladesh’s political history. It has sparked hope among BNP leaders, activists, supporters, and citizens, who believe his leadership will revitalize the party and restore democracy and civil rights in the country.