Tarique Rahman likely to return home by end of November: Salahuddin

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has said that the party's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, is expected to return home by the end of this month, ending his 17 years of exile in London.

"We are hopeful that he (Tarique) may come back by the end of this month. If not, it might be delayed by a few days," he told UNB yesterday (11 November).

Tarique Rahman, the elder son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has been living in London for the past 17 years since leaving the country with his family during the state of emergency in 2008.

Although all legal complications against him were resolved following the fall of the Awami League government in the July uprising, Tarique has yet to return home.

Over the past few months, several senior BNP leaders have repeatedly said Tarique would return "soon", though none have mentioned a specific date.

In an interview with BBC Bangla on 6 October, Tarique Rahman was asked when he planned to return to Bangladesh. He replied, "Very soon, Inshallah."

Asked whether he would be in the country before the election, Tarique said, "As a political worker, it's natural that I should be with the people during an election. Where there is a people's election – one expected by the nation – how can I stay away? I will do my best to be with the people during that time, Inshallah."

Although Tarique has long been involved in leading the party and shaping its election strategies, he has never contested a parliamentary election himself.

This time, however, he is set to run in the 13th national parliamentary election from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency.

His mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, has been contesting elections from Bogura-7 (Gabtoli and Shahjahanpur) since 1991 and from Bogura-6 (Sadar) since June 1996 — never losing in either seat.

Tarique is now stepping forward to contest from his mother's long-held constituency.

Khaleda Zia's Gulshan residence, situated on a 32-katha plot donated to her by the government in 1981, has been prepared for Tarique Rahman to stay with his family upon his return.

Party insiders said Tarique will be given a grand reception from the airport to the Gulshan house, making his homecoming a historic and memorable day.

During the 1/11 government, Tarique Rahman was arrested on March 7, 2007. He was granted bail on September 3, 2008, and left for London with his family on September 11 for medical treatment. Since then, he has been living in London with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.