Khaleda Zia's Son Tarique Rahman Returns To Bangladesh: A Look At His Time In Exile

Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of Bangladesh's former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has returned to the country after nearly 17 years in self-imposed exile. Rahman and his family were welcomed at Dhaka airport by thousands of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters carrying placards and banners. 

BNP supporters and party activists marched on foot toward the Dhaka airport along Banani Airport Road to mark the return of Rahman to Bangladesh.

Thousands of supporters and party activists since morning today marched on foot toward the Dhaka airport along Banani Airport Road to mark the return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to the country in Dhaka on Thursday. #Bangladesh pic.twitter.com/KARPx3OSqs

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 25, 2025

Earlier, images of him departing for Dhaka from London's Heathrow Airport with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, went viral on social media, with his party preparing for what they call an "unprecedented" gathering of more than five million people in the capital to welcome them. 

"On the way back to my motherland, Bangladesh!" Zaima Rahman wrote on her Facebook page, sharing pictures from inside the aircraft, with her father and mother smiling beside her.

BNP's Mega Welcome Plan

BNP has planned to rally 5 million supporters from Dhaka Airport to Rahman's reception venue, to welcome their exiled leader, demonstrating its strength as he emerges as a top contender for prime minister in the February elections.

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"This will be a defining political moment," senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, adding that security arrangements are being closely coordinated with authorities to ensure order.

Rahman has lived in London since 2008, as he faced multiple criminal convictions at home, including for money laundering and in a case related to a plot to assassinate Hasina. He was, however, acquitted of all charges after Hasina's removal, clearing the legal barriers that had delayed his return.

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What Rahman Did Between 2008 And 2025

Between 2008 and late 2025, Rahman lived in self-imposed exile in London after leaving Bangladesh in September 2008. In December 2009, he was elected as the Senior Vice Chairman of the BNP at its 5th National Council held in Dhaka, leading the party from abroad.

In 2015, Tarique registered a private PR and communications firm by the name of White and Blue Consultants Limited. The documentation of incorporation filed with the UK Companies House shows that he listed his nationality as British. However, in 2016, he amended the paperwork and declared his nationality as Bangladeshi.

After the fall of the Hasina government in 2024, Tarique pledged to return to Bangladesh after the cases against him were lifted. He also pledged to support the reform process of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

ALSO READ: Explained: Returned From Exile, What Is Zia Son's Gameplan For Bangladesh

Timing Of Rahman's Return

His return from London comes as his BNP is on the ascendant following the ouster of its archfoe, long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a student-led uprising last year. Apart from brief transition administrations, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have alternated in power since 1991.

He's coming back to the Muslim-majority South Asian nation of nearly 175 million people at a time when it enters a sensitive election period under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. The vote is widely viewed as crucial to restoring political stability after nearly two years of turmoil.

Sixty-year-old Rahman, better known as Tarique Zia, is the acting chairman of BNP, which is widely expected to come out on top in the parliamentary vote set for February 12.

A December survey by the US-based International Republican Institute suggests the BNP is on course to win the largest number of parliamentary seats, with the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party also in the race. Hasina's Awami League party, which has been barred from the election, has threatened unrest that some fear could jeopardise the vote.

Rahman's decision to return is driven by both political developments and personal circumstances. His mother has been seriously ill for months, prompting what party insiders describe as an urgent trip home.

ALSO READ: The Significance Of Khaleda Zia's Son's Return To Bangladesh After 17 Years

Political Turmoil in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is at a crossroads, with Rahman's return testing the BNP's ability to mobilise peacefully and the interim administration's promise to deliver a credible transfer of power. While the government has pledged a free and peaceful election, recent attacks on media outlets and sporadic violence have raised concerns about law enforcement.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), which emerged from the youth protest movement that toppled Hasina, said it views Rahman's return positively.

"Tarique Rahman was forced into exile under severe pressure and threats, so his homecoming carries symbolic weight," said Khan Muhammad Mursalin, an NCP spokesperson.

"His arrival will undoubtedly energise party leaders and supporters ... On the path to democracy, we will stand with him," he added.