Tarique Rahman Returns to Bangladesh Ahead of Landmark Elections
Tarique Rahman, 60, has returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile in London, since 2008, ahead of the country's landmark general elections scheduled for the new year. Rahman is the front-runner for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and is seen as the figurehead of the Zia family and the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The BNP aims to regain power if it emerges as the largest party in the upcoming elections, with Rahman expected to take on a leadership role.
His return follows the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year, who currently lives in exile in India. The ruling Awami League, led by Hasina, is unlikely to participate in the upcoming polls. During Hasina's tenure, Rahman faced multiple criminal investigations but was cleared of charges following the fall of her regime.
Recently, Hasina was sentenced to death for suppressing anti-government protests, which UN investigators associate with about 1,400 deaths. She was tried in absentia and denies committing crimes against humanity. These elections are described as some of the most consequential in Bangladesh's history.
