Dhaka – Returning from a 17-year exile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman told a massive homecoming rally on Thursday that he has a plan to rebuild the nation and called for national unity to implement it.
“I have a plan to build the country,” Rahman declared, echoing the language of American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
“I need everyone’s cooperation; only then will it be possible.”
He addressed a sea of supporters gathered on a 300-foot expressway in Dhaka’s Purbachal area, where the BNP organized the reception.
His motorcade had taken over three hours to traverse the nearly 1.5-kilometer route from the airport, slowed by crowds. Upon arrival, he thanked Allah for his return and traveled the final stretch on a decorated red bus inscribed with “Bangladesh First.”
In his speech, Rahman framed the current moment as a historic opportunity akin to the nation’s 1971 independence struggles.
“Just as the people achieved independence in 1971, and in 2024 protected its sovereignty, our time has come to build the country together,” he said.
“The people want to regain their right to speak and their democratic rights.”
Stressing inclusivity, he said, “In this country, there are people from the hills and the plains; Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. We want to build a safe Bangladesh—where anyone can leave home safely and return safely.”
He honored recent sacrifices, referencing the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, and invoked the martyrs of 1971 and 2024: “To repay the debt of blood, we must build the Bangladesh that was aspired for.”
He emphasized building the country on democratic and strong economic foundations, with the youth playing a key role.
Repeating his core plea three times, he said, “We want peace in the country,” and concluded, “Together we will work, we will build our Bangladesh.”
He also urged prayers for his ailing mother, former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is hospitalized in Dhaka.
Rahman, 60, arrived at Dhaka Airport on a flight from London on Thursday morning, accompanied by his wife, daughter, and other entourage members. He had left Dhaka in 2008 during a military-backed interim government.
During his exile in the UK, he was convicted in absentia on charges including money laundering and alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate political rival Sheikh Hasina — convictions his party decried as politically motivated.
These were overturned by courts after an interim administration under Muhammad Yunus took power following Hasina’s ouster in a mass uprising last year, clearing the legal path for his return.
He was greeted at the airport by top BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Ahead of the arrival, he had posted on Facebook: “After a long 6,314 days, in the sky of Bangladesh!”
Mobilization and Security
The BNP mobilized nationwide for the event, aiming to bring five million people to the capital. Supporters began gathering at the venue from Wednesday. In response, authorities deployed stringent, multi-layered security involving police, army, and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel, who maintained alert positions across the city.
Rahman is now poised to lead the BNP in the next general election, scheduled for February 12, 2026—the first since the political changeover. His party is considered a frontrunner, as its main rival, Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, is barred from the contest.
