BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman is returning to the country on 25 December.
He will land at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal Airport at 11:55am that day on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.
After more than 17 years, BNP is organising a special event to mark Tarique Rahman’s return from the United Kingdom.
Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the party’s Standing Committee, said, “We want his historic return to surpass all precedents set in the past 55 years and to be so memorable that no similar historic event occurs in the next 55 years. All our arrangements are aimed at making it truly remarkable.”
Salahuddin Ahmed is serving as the convener of the BNP’s reception committee for Tarique Rahman’s return. Under his leadership, a BNP delegation visited Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport today. During the visit, they held a meeting with officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
In the meeting with CAAB officials, Salahuddin Ahmed was joined by the party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Media Cell convener Moudud Alamgir Pavel, and Tarique Rahman’s chief security officer, Brigadier General (Retd.) Shamsul Islam.
Later, at 4:00pm, Salahuddin Ahmed spoke to journalists in front of the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan about the overall preparations. The BNP leader said, “Today we conducted an on-site inspection of the airport where Tarique Rahman will land, the spot from where he will board the vehicle, and all the roads he will take. We also checked the route to Evercare Hospital and to his residence.”
He added that the visit was aimed at coordinating with all relevant parties regarding Tarique Rahman’s arrival. He also mentioned that the party’s security team has separately discussed his security arrangements with the government authorities concerned.
Tarique Rahman’s mother and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since 23 November. Upon returning to the country, Tarique Rahman may visit his mother directly at the hospital. Therefore, a suitable location near the airport and Evercare Hospital is being arranged to welcome him, Salahuddin Ahmed said.
According to multiple BNP sources, after arriving in Dhaka, Tarique Rahman will stay at 196 Gulshan Avenue. Next to this residence is ‘Firoza,’ where BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been living for several years.