DHAKA – After spending over 17 years in self-imposed exile, the son of a former Bangladeshi prime minister made a significant return to his homeland on Thursday. He is now poised as a leading contender for the nation’s top position in the forthcoming elections.

Tarique Rahman relocated to London in 2008 for medical reasons, following allegations of torture during his detention under the military-backed regime that governed Bangladesh from 2006 to 2008.

At 60 years old, Rahman holds the position of acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a major political force in the country of over 170 million citizens. His return is seen as a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the elections scheduled for February 12, under the stewardship of the current interim government.

Accompanied by his wife and daughter, Rahman landed at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport late Thursday morning amid stringent security protocols.

His arrival sparked a massive gathering of supporters, stretching approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the airport to a specially arranged reception venue. Many had camped out overnight to greet him. The area was a sea of enthusiastic followers, with party leaders anticipating a turnout of “millions.”

After a reception, party officials said Rahman plans to go to a hospital to visit his critically ill mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who led a coalition government from 2001 until 2006 when a non-elected government backed by the military came to power during a period of political chaos.

Zia, a former housewife, came to politics after her husband, former military chief and then President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in a military coup in 1981. She held power for the first time in 1991 after becoming a key leader in a nine-year movement against a former military dictator who was forced to resign during a mass uprising in 1990.

Zia is considered one of two key figures in Bangladesh politics along with Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia in November. Hasina was convicted on charges of crimes against humanity involving the crackdown on a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule in 2024. India has not approved requests to extradite Hasina since she fled there last year.

In recent years, Rahman has been a de facto leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He regularly joined meetings and rallies online from London, keeping his party united. He was not openly challenged by any party insiders during his absence.

Bangladesh is now at a political crossroads. The interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is struggling to maintain law and order and restore confidence while attempting a return to democracy after Hasina’s long premiership.

Global human rights groups including Human Rights Watch and the Amnesty International have accused the Yunus government of eroding democratic rights. Liberals in Bangladesh have expressed concerns over press freedom and minority rights and accused Yunus of presiding over a visible rise of Islamists.

Rahman supported Yunus when he took over as the government’s chief adviser, but the relationship with his party has been shaky.

Rahman was convicted in several criminal cases during Hasina’s 15-year rule since 2009. Appeals courts under the Yunus government have acquitted him of all criminal charges including involvement of a grenade attacks on a Hasina rally in 2004.