Staff Reporter :
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated on Saturday that no specific date has been set for the return of the party’s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, from London. He added that Tarique Rahman will return when the party deems it the right time.
Responding to a journalist’s question during a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul said, “The party hasn’t fixed a specific date yet for Tarique Rahman’s return, but he will return when
we believe it is the appropriate time.”
Tarique Rahman, the elder son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, has been living in London with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, for over 15 years.
He left for London on September 11, 2008, shortly after being released on bail during the military-backed caretaker government, to seek medical treatment.
Prior to that, he was arrested on March 7, 2007, and released on bail on September 3, 2008.
A Dhaka court on Thursday acquitted Tarique Rahman and others in a bribery case related to securing immunity in a murder case, effectively removing any legal obstacles to his return, according to BNP lawyer Borhan Uddin.
In an interview with BBC Bangla, Borhan confirmed that with all legal cases now cleared, Tarique Rahman faces no legal barriers to returning to Bangladesh and resuming his political activities.
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who went to London on January 8 this year for advanced medical treatment, has been staying with her son.
Although there are reports that Khaleda Zia may return home next month, BNP leaders suggest that Tarique Rahman’s return remains uncertain due to security concerns.
Earlier, BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain expressed optimism about Tarique Rahman’s return. Speaking with journalists after returning from London, Dr. Zahid said the nation would collectively bring Tarique Rahman back to Bangladesh with due respect.
He emphasized the importance of unity to prevent any conspiracy against democracy and highlighted that BNP does not believe in any form of discrimination, reflecting the principles established by Ziaur Rahman.
Dr. Zahid Hossain went to London with Begum Khaleda Zia to assist with her medical treatment, as he is her personal physician. He also said that just as the nation united on November 7, 1975, today the nation stands united under the leadership of Tarique Rahman.
These developments indicate that while legal barriers to Tarique Rahman’s return have been removed, the decision regarding the timing of his return will consider various factors, including security concerns and the political climate.
