BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has set off for Bangladesh, ending nearly 15 years of exile, with the party preparing a historic reception to mark his return.
Rahman departed London’s Heathrow Airport shortly after 12:15am on Wednesday (24 December) aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-102) bound for Dhaka. The flight is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around noon today. He is travelling with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman.
Upon arrival, Tarique Rahman will be formally received at the airport’s VIP lounge by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the party’s standing committee, who will welcome him with flowers. He will then proceed in a bulletproof Mercedes SUV to the venue of a reception programme near the 300-foot road in Purbachal.
From a specially constructed stage, Rahman is expected to address party leaders, activists and the nation. To facilitate live viewing of the address, 30 large LED screens have been installed at the venue, along with more than 900 microphones across the surrounding area.
Following the reception, Tarique Rahman will visit Evercare Hospital to see his mother, former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. He will later move to the family residence at House No. 196 on Gulshan Avenue, where he will stay with his family.
BNP Media Cell member Shayrul Kabir Khan said special arrangements have been made to allow people at home and abroad to witness Rahman’s return. The programme will be broadcast live through three Facebook pages: the BNP’s official page, the BNP Media Cell page, and ‘Our BNP’.
Meanwhile, enhanced security measures have been put in place for Tarique Rahman’s return. Alongside government-provided security, the BNP has arranged its own measures. Brigadier General (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam, chief security officer for Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, said a three-tier security cordon will be in place around the Purbachal reception venue, with maximum security ensured by the party.
BNP leaders and activists believe that Tarique Rahman’s long-awaited return to the country will inject new momentum into the party’s political activities.
