The recent homecoming of Tarique Rahman, the de facto leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and heir to one of the country’s most powerful political families, is widely expected to reshape the political trajectory ahead of February’s national election.
Analysts say his return after 17 years in exile could consolidate the BNP’s position as the dominant electoral force, while tempering a volatile political climate unsettled by unrest and tensions with India following the overthrow of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Rahman returned last week amid Bangladesh’s preparations for the February election under an interim administration formed after Hasina was forced from power, with her Awami League subsequently barred from contesting.
His long absence had raised doubts over whether the BNP could fully consolidate its position as the most established party in the race, particularly as Bangladesh grappled with political fragmentation and repeated outbreaks of street violence.
The BNP is widely seen as having the strongest chance of winning the election, especially after Hasina’s party was excluded from the polls. But the run-up to the vote has seen Bangladesh plagued by unrest, which intensified earlier this month following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, a youth figure linked to last year’s student uprising against Hasina’s government.
