Tarique Rahman’s return: All preparations complete except bulletproof vehicles

Several dates about Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s return to the country have appeared in the media.

In reality, the party has not yet confirmed when he is actually coming back.

A senior BNP leader told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that Tarique Rahman may return in the first week of December. Upon arrival, he will register as a voter and join the election campaign.

Party sources say that ahead of the return of the party’s second-in-command after 17 years, preparations for his security, renovation of his residence, and setup of his office have all been completed. Only his arrival is pending.

Leaders who remain in contact with Tarique Rahman say he plans to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia and then fly directly from London to Dhaka.

However, despite all preparations, the delay in his return has sparked curiosity within BNP ranks, among supporters, and across political circles. Many discussions are taking place about why it is taking so long.

People concerned said the recurring issue is his personal security. Since the mass uprising on 5 August, BNP policymakers themselves have repeatedly expressed concern about his safety. The party and the government have both taken measures regarding his protection, and the government has assured “maximum security.”

On Thursday, a member of the BNP standing committee told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that although permission was granted to import a bulletproof bus and a personal bulletproof vehicle for Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, the vehicles have not yet arrived in the country.

According to that BNP leader, this delay is one of the reasons Tarique Rahman has not yet returned.

In October, the party’s security adviser Major General (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar told Prothom Alo that both Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman would travel nationwide during the election period for public outreach. Balancing public engagement with safety was crucial, and therefore bulletproof vehicles were being procured.

Party sources say that as of Friday the bulletproof vehicles had still not arrived. The importing company failed to deliver on schedule. The leadership wants the vehicles to reach Dhaka before Tarique Rahman returns.

Once he is back, Tarique Rahman will reside at his home in Gulshan-2, which has already been prepared. He will also operate regularly from the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan. A dedicated room has been set up for him at the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan.

Tarique Rahman will also need to register as a voter after returning. Since 2008, when the caretaker government first introduced photo-based voter registration, Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman have been in exile in London. Zubaida has recently returned and registered as a voter, but Tarique has not yet done so. The election commission confirms that he has not filed any application for voter registration.

He will contest from Bogura-6. To submit nomination papers, he must first be a registered voter. The final voter list has already been published, but the election commission still permits new applications.

Observers say Tarique Rahman’s return—after 17 years in exile and on the eve of the national election—could become a turning point for the BNP.