Will BNP's Tarique Rahman Register as a Voter on December 27?
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Dhaka, Oct 22 (NationPress) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has declared that its acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, will fulfill the necessary steps to register as a voter on December 27, according to local media sources.
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed shared this information after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission in Dhaka.
He mentioned that Rahman is set to arrive in Dhaka on December 25.
“As the following day is a Friday, he will finalize all requirements for voter registration and obtaining a voter ID or national ID on December 27,” reported Bangladesh's Daily Star, citing Salahuddin.
Rahman’s return occurs as the Election Commission has announced that the country's 13th national parliamentary election, along with a referendum on the July Charter, is scheduled for February 12 next year.
In the meantime, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has assured that extensive security measures have been implemented for Rahman’s return on December 25.
“Maximum security has been arranged to ensure Tarique Rahman's safe return to the country,” Bangla News 24 quoted the Home Advisor.
Rahman, who has been leading the BNP from London and has recently been cleared in significant cases, including the August 2004 grenade attack, faces few legal obstacles to his return.
His mother, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, was admitted to a hospital in Dhaka on the night of November 23 following medical advice after being diagnosed with infections affecting her heart and lungs.
She is currently in the Intensive Care Unit, with both local and international specialist doctors overseeing her care.
Analysts believe that Rahman’s return and involvement in the February 2026 elections will serve as a significant test amid the current turbulence in Bangladesh's politics under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which is facing increasing pressure to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.
Following the announcement of the election schedule, Bangladesh has been experiencing widespread violence. Critics express concerns that Rahman’s return to the unstable political environment could escalate tensions throughout the country.
Khaleda Zia's BNP collaborated with the interim government led by Yunus to oust the democratically elected Awami League government last year.