BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman is returning home after nearly 18 years in exile. He will arrive in Dhaka with his wife and daughter on December 25 at noon. His return has created a rare moment of political anticipation and emotion throughout the country, including the capital.
From the airport, he will go directly to the reception venue organized in the 300-feet area of Purbachal. After that, he is scheduled to meet his mother and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital, and then go to her Gulshan residence. According to party sources, extensive preparations have been made to make this day ‘historic’ for the BNP.
A large reception stage is being built in an area of 300 feet. The area has been decorated with banners, festoons and posters along the entire road from Kuril. The presence of the party’s own security forces as well as the police is being observed to maintain security and order. The organizers claim that about two million people can gather for the event.
Leaders and activists from different districts of the country have already started arriving in Dhaka. Many are arriving two days in advance and taking up positions so as not to miss the opportunity to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader. Special trains and additional coaches have been allocated at the request of the BNP to ensure smooth rail travel.
Special bulletproof vehicles and buses have been brought in for Tarique Rahman’s security. An experienced former military officer will be in charge of coordinating security arrangements from the airport to Gulshan, while the party’s own security team will be active.
Upon returning home, Tarique Rahman will temporarily stay in a house next to his mother’s residence. Renovation work is still underway there. A few rooms have been prepared at ‘Firoza’ as an alternative if the work is not completed.
According to political analysts, Tarique Rahman’s return is not just a personal repatriation—it also signals a new equation and dynamism in the country’s politics.