BNP awaits a new chapter as Tarique set to land in Bangladesh

Hours before his landing, the party leaders have described the homecoming as both politically significant and emotionally charged.

Meanwhile, the 300 Feet area of Dhaka has turned into a human sea where a grand reception has been arranged for him.

Hours before the scheduled return of the BNP acting chairman, the 300 Feet area is apparently brimmed with thousands of the party supporters.

Besides, a huge number of people were seen heading towards the 300 Feet by buses, trucks and other vehicles on Thursday morning.   

Vehicles, including buses, carrying supporters of the BNP and its associate bodies from the parts of the country have arrived in the Dhaka to welcome Tarique Rahman.

On Thursday morning, a thinner movement of public transports has been seen on the streets compared to the other days, causing suffering of commuters, particularly RMG workers and others.

Multi-layer security measures have been taken to ensure safety of Tarique Rahman as a huge number of police, Bangladesh Army, Rapid Action Battalion, and Border Guard Bangladesh along with other forces have been deployed.   

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday disclosed a detailed timeline at a press conference held at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Tarique Rahman departed London’s Heathrow Airport at 12:23am (Bangladesh time) on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, accompanied by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman and their beloved pet cat Jebu.

After a transit stop in Sylhet, he will arrive in Dhaka at 11:50am, party sources said on Wednesday.

BNP Standing Committee members will receive the party’s Acting Chairman at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

From the airport, Tarique will proceed directly to join a reception programme as their party has arranged on the 36 July Expressway (300 Feet Road). Tarique alone will speak at the reception.

After the programme, the BNP Acting Chairman will visit his mother and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital, Bashundhara.

After spending some time beside Khaleda, Tarique will proceed to House No-196 on Gulshan Avenue, where he will stay.

On Friday, following the Jumma prayers, Tarique Rahman will visit the grave of his father and BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman.

He is also later scheduled to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Memorial in Savar.

On Saturday, Tarique Rahman will be formally registered as a voter.

After completing the process, he will visit the grave of Osman Hadi near the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

He will later go to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), popularly known as Pangu Hospital, to meet those injured in the July 2024 uprising.

BNP Chairperson’s Chief Security Officer retired Brigadier General AKM Saiful Islam said, “We will use our party’s full security system. A small part of it is the Chairperson Security Force (CSF). Beyond that, our party leaders and activists, and above all, the people of Bangladesh, are the main foundation of our security.”

He said the government is providing them with maximum cooperation and has instructed its various forces and agencies to extend all kinds of support.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi instructed leaders and activists of Sylhet city and district not to gather at the airport.

Tarique Rahman was arrested during the caretaker government in 2007 and spent around 18 months in prison.

After his release in 2008, he left for the United Kingdom for advanced medical treatment. Although he has been leading the party from abroad, his return now comes as he prepares to take a more direct role in party affairs after a long 17-year absence.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Wednesday said the government welcomes BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s scheduled homecoming and affirmed that all cooperation sought by his party is being extended with necessary security measures in place.

In terms of security, Alam said, things are being looked after in consultation with BNP keeping in mind what the party wants. 

Special trains are operating on ten routes to facilitate travel to Dhaka for BNP leaders and supporters on the occasion of Tarique Rahman’s home coming, reports UNB.