Tarique Rahman Returns, Positions BNP for Inclusive Campaign Ahead of 2026 Election
Updated (2 articles)
Rahman's Arrival Marks End of Long Exile Tarique Rahman landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on 27 December 2025 aboard a Biman Bangladesh flight, stepped onto a grassy patch, removed his shoes and touched the ground before being greeted by hundreds of thousands of supporters, and formally assumed the role of BNP acting chairman after years of managing the party from abroad [1].
Inclusive Vision Emphasizes Communal Harmony and Security Speaking at a rally in Purvachal, Rahman urged a “secure Bangladesh for all communities,” insisting that Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and Hindus must share a national security project and warning that “spies of hegemonic powers” were seeking to destabilize the country [2]. He linked law‑and‑order to democratic rights and cited recent attacks on minorities, including the killing of Hindus in Mymensingh, as evidence of urgent security needs [2].
Campaign Leverages Ziaur Rahman's Legacy for 2026 Election The BNP launched its February 12 2026 election campaign by foregrounding Tarique’s father, General Ziaur Rahman, as the architect of Bangladesh’s late‑1970s economic and foreign‑policy successes, while also invoking the party’s role in the 1971 Liberation War to counter the ruling party’s historical narrative [1][2]. Propaganda videos and speeches recast both Ziaur and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s eras to appeal to a broad electorate ahead of the first post‑Hasina polls.
Political Allies Respond, Coalition Dynamics Remain Fluid Jamaat‑e‑Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman announced his party would monitor Tarique’s moves, reflecting cautious optimism among Islamist allies, while leaders of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the National Citizen Party publicly welcomed the return, signaling potential cross‑party engagement [1][2]. Internal BNP realignments surfaced as some figures resigned or shifted loyalties, and seat‑sharing talks among opposition parties remain unsettled.
Sources
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1.
The Hindu: Tarique Rahman Returns From London, Signals Inclusive BNP Path Ahead of Elections – Details Rahman’s symbolic airport arrival, his inclusive rhetoric, references to his father’s legacy, and reactions from Jamaat‑e‑Islami, highlighting the uncertain momentum for the BNP .
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The Hindu: Tarique Rahman Returns to Bangladesh, Calls for Secure, Inclusive State Ahead of 2026 Election – Focuses on Rahman’s security‑focused speech, recent communal violence, gratitude to Chief Adviser Prof. Mohammed Yunus, warnings about foreign spies, and the broader coalition welcome as the BNP gears up for the 2026 vote .
Timeline
1971: Bangladesh fights the Liberation War, and Ziaur Rahman, then a Pakistan Army officer, declares independence for East Pakistan, establishing the historical foundation the BNP later claims. [1]
Nov 7, 1971: Ziaur Rahman assumes power after a coup, creating a political lineage that Tarique Rahman invokes to link the BNP to the nation’s founding moment. [1]
1981: General Ziaur Rahman is assassinated, a trauma that shapes Tarique Rahman’s personal narrative and later political positioning. [1]
2009: Tarique Rahman begins managing BNP affairs from abroad, addressing supporters via video links and building international ties while in exile. [1]
Early Dec 2025: Communal violence spikes, including the killing of Islamist youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi and the murder of Hindu activist Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, raising security concerns ahead of the BNP’s comeback. [2]
Dec 25, 2025: Tarique Rahman lands in Dhaka on a Biman Bangladesh flight, is greeted by hundreds of thousands, and delivers a rally speech in Purvachal urging a secure, inclusive Bangladesh for Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus while thanking Chief Adviser Prof. Mohammed Yunus. [2]
Dec 25, 2025: In the same address, Rahman warns that “spies of hegemonic powers” are plotting conspiracies, urging patience and restraint as the country confronts security challenges. [2]
Dec 25, 2025: The BNP officially launches its February 12, 2026 election campaign, centering Rahman’s return and invoking his father General Ziaur Rahman’s 1970s economic and foreign‑policy achievements while recasting Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s legacy. [2]
Dec 25, 2025: Leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat‑e‑Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and the National Citizen Party publicly welcome Rahman’s return, signaling tentative cross‑party engagement ahead of elections. [2]
Dec 27, 2025: Tarique Rahman steps off a plane, removes his shoes, touches the ground at the airport, and declares an inclusive, inter‑communal political vision that seeks to move the BNP beyond its past “pro‑Pakistan” label. [1]
Dec 27, 2025: Rahman pledges inter‑communal and inter‑ethnic harmony, linking the BNP to the 1971 Liberation War and his father’s legacy, mirroring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s use of her own family’s history. [1]
Dec 27, 2025: Jamaat‑e‑Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman says his party will monitor Tarique Rahman’s moves, underscoring cautious relations as the BNP seeks broader alliances. [1]
Dec 27, 2025: Massive crowds gather at multiple Dhaka sites, prompting internal party realignments, seat‑sharing debates, and some defections as the BNP tests its renewed momentum. [1]
Feb 12, 2026 (planned): Bangladesh holds its first post‑Hasina national election, where the BNP under Tarique Rahman aims to convert its inclusive campaign into an electoral victory. [2]