Khaleda dies, Hasina sentenced, Tarique returns

Abu Jakir :

Bangladesh’s politics in 2025 unfolded with an intensity rarely seen in recent history, as death, court verdicts, violence and long-delayed political returns combined to redraw the country’s political map.

By the time the year ended, the familiar contours of power had shifted dramatically, leaving behind a nation confronting both the weight of its past and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.

The year closed on a somber note with the death of Khaleda Zia, three-time former prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, who died on the morning of December 30 at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. She was 80.

Khaleda Zia had been undergoing treatment for nearly 40 days, suffering from kidney complications, heart disease and a renewed bout of pneumonia.

Her condition deteriorated after she fell ill on November 21, the day she attended the Armed Forces Day programme.

The interim government declared three days of state mourning and announced a one-day general holiday, reflecting her enduring stature in national politics despite years of deep political polarisation.

In her final days, Khaleda Zia’s hospital room became a focal point of national attention. Senior government officials and political leaders from across the spectrum visited her as concerns about her health spread through party ranks and beyond.

Social media was flooded with speculation and updates, underscoring how closely the nation continued to follow the life of a leader who, alongside her long-time rival Sheikh Hasina, dominated Bangladesh’s politics for decades.

At various stages, discussions emerged about sending her abroad for advanced treatment, including preparations to fly her to London by air ambulance.

Her daughter-in-law Zubaida Rahman returned to Dhaka from London on December 5 amid those deliberations, but a medical board ultimately decided that she would continue treatment in Bangladesh.

Her illness also reignited debate over whether her elder son, BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, would return home after more than 17 years in exile.

As public anticipation grew, Tarique Rahman stated on social media that the decision was not his alone, a remark that sparked further political discussion.

On December 25, he finally returned to Bangladesh with his family, just days before his mother’s death.

At the time of Khaleda Zia’s passing, Tarique Rahman, Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other family members were present at the hospital.

While the year ended with mourning, it had already been marked by a verdict that sent shockwaves through both domestic and international circles.

On November 17, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in absentia in a case involving crimes against humanity.

Former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, who turned state witness, was sentenced to five years in prison. The ruling immediately drew criticism from international human rights organisations.

The United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International issued separate statements expressing concern over the fairness of the trial and the use of capital punishment.

Human Rights Watch noted that the defendants were tried in absentia and were not allowed lawyers of their choice, while the UN reiterated its long-standing opposition to the death penalty and urged Bangladesh to uphold international standards of justice.

Amnesty International described the speed of the trial and the verdict as raising serious concerns about due process.

Inside the country, the verdict deepened political tensions. The Awami League, whose activities had been banned, announced shutdown-style programmes in protest.

During this period, several incidents of cocktail explosions and arson attacks on vehicles were reported in different parts of the country, adding to fears of renewed instability at a time when Bangladesh was already preparing for a crucial election.

Questions surrounding that election had dominated much of the year. Political debate over whether polls would be held at all, and under what conditions, persisted for months.

That uncertainty came to an end on the evening of December 11, when Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin addressed the nation and announced that the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election would be held on February 12, 2026.

The announcement formally closed the chapter of speculation, but it did not fully allay concerns about security, political violence and public trust in the electoral process.

Those fears were reinforced just a day after the election schedule was announced, when Sharif Osman Hadi, convenor of the Inqilab Mancha and a potential candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot while campaigning.

The attack on a prospective parliamentary candidate so soon after the schedule announcement shocked the nation.

Hadi was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, later transferred to Evercare Hospital, and eventually flown to Singapore for advanced treatment. He died there a week later.

News of his death triggered widespread protests in Dhaka, which quickly escalated into violence.

Attacks were carried out on the offices of two leading national newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, while incidents of vandalism and arson were reported in several parts of the country.

Hadi’s funeral drew massive crowds, turning his final rites into a moment of collective grief and political anger.

Against this turbulent backdrop, Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh on December 25 emerged as one of the year’s most Consequential political developments.

Arrested during the military-backed caretaker government in 2007 and having left for London in 2008 after being granted bail for medical treatment, he returned home after 17 years in exile.

From the airport to the reception venue on the Purbachal 300 Feet Road, large crowds of BNP leaders, activists and supporters gathered to welcome him.

Addressing the gathering, Tarique Rahman said he had a plan for the country but urged restraint, warning party leaders and supporters to remain calm and avoid provocation.

His return was welcomed not only by the BNP but also by Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party, signalling shifting political alignments ahead of the election.
As 2025 drew to a close, Bangladesh found itself at a political crossroads.

The death of Khaleda Zia marked the end of an era, the verdict against Sheikh Hasina underscored a new phase of accountability and controversy, and the return of Tarique Rahman reshaped the opposition’s future.

With a national election looming in early 2026, the events of the past year have left the country facing unresolved questions about justice, reconciliation and democratic stability.

What became unmistakably clear in 2025 is that Bangladesh’s old political order has fractured, and the struggle to define what comes next has only just begun.