Return from Exile: Tarique Rahman Comes Home as Bangladesh Stands at a Dangerous Crossroads
For nearly 17 years, his presence in Bangladesh was symbolic rather than physical—his face on party posters, his voice played at rallies, but his body far away in the United Kingdom.
On Thursday, Tarique Rahman, the acting chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), finally returned to Dhaka, ending a long exile that had come to define both his politics and his party.
Rahman’s homecoming is not a sentimental reunion or a personal retreat. It comes at a time when his mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is critically ill, and when Bangladesh itself is convulsed by violent internal strife—marked by political killings, street unrest, and disturbing attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus.
His return, therefore, is widely seen as a decision to step into a political cauldron rather than a pause for personal comfort.
Accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and daughter Zaima, Rahman announced his arrival with a brief message: “Back in Bangladesh after 6,314 days.”
The understatement belied the magnitude of the moment. For a country heading towards elections amid uncertainty and fear, his return signals the beginning of a new and potentially volatile phase.
A Nation on Edge
Bangladesh today finds itself fractured and anxious. The interim dispensation under Muhammad Yunus has struggled to contain radical forces that have re-emerged with alarming confidence.
Of particular concern is the renewed political visibility of Jamaat-e-Islami, an outfit long viewed with suspicion for its extremist leanings and alleged proximity to Pakistan’s security establishment.
With the ruling Awami League barred from contesting the upcoming elections and Sheikh Hasina out of the political arena, the BNP is widely expected to emerge as the principal electoral force.
Yet opinion polls suggest that the Jamaat is close on its heels, raising fears of radical influence shaping the next government. The recent success of the Jamaat’s student wing in the Dhaka University elections has only deepened these anxieties.
Not a Homecoming, but a Political Gamble
Rahman’s return is being interpreted as a decisive attempt to steady the BNP at a moment when Bangladesh risks sliding further into chaos.
Massive crowds greeted him, with party leaders claiming millions of supporters lined the road from the airport to his residence.
The show of strength was unmistakable—but it has also unsettled radical elements who see Rahman’s re-entry as a challenge to their growing street power.
What remains uncertain is whether Rahman can consolidate democratic forces without succumbing to pressure from extremist groups.
Radicalism, by its very nature, has no place in a functioning democracy. Yet in present-day Bangladesh, radical actors are not on the margins—they are on the streets, emboldened and organised.
Rahman has publicly distanced himself from the Jamaat and has questioned the interim government’s authority to take long-term foreign policy decisions.
Earlier this year, he articulated a “Bangladesh First” doctrine, stressing that his party would not align blindly with either New Delhi or Rawalpindi. The message was clear: sovereignty before ideology, democracy before dogma.
Regional and Global Stakes
Bangladesh’s turmoil is not being watched in isolation. India, China, the United States, and several South Asian nations are closely monitoring developments, acutely aware that instability in Dhaka has ripple effects across the region.
For India in particular, the surge in anti-India rhetoric and minority violence has triggered deep concern.
Whether the forthcoming elections will be fair or merely a façade remains an open question. In an environment charged with fear, violence, and competing street mobilisations, the credibility of the democratic process itself is under scrutiny.
Who wins and who loses is important—but even more critical is how Bangladesh emerges from this phase: as a stabilised democracy or a nation further fractured by extremism.
A Test of Leadership
Once branded the “dark prince” of Bangladeshi politics during his years in exile, Rahman now faces the ultimate test of leadership on home soil. He has managed, so far, to keep the BNP intact during a turbulent transition.
Whether he can unite a restless party, appeal to a disillusioned youth, resist radical pressures, and steer Bangladesh back towards democratic stability is a question whose answer will shape the country’s future.
This is not a return from exile—it is an entry into a storm. And the world is watching.
#TariqueRahman #BangladeshPolitics #BNP #BangladeshCrisis #DemocracyAtRisk #SouthAsia #MinorityRights #PoliticalUnrest #Elections2025 #RegionalStability
