DHAKA, Dec 25: Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of Bangladesh’s former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, has returned to the country after nearly 17 years in self-imposed exile. Rahman arrived in Dhaka with his family, where he was greeted at the airport by thousands of supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), many of whom were carrying placards and banners to mark the occasion.

Large numbers of BNP supporters and party activists also marched on foot along Banani Airport Road toward Dhaka airport to celebrate Rahman’s homecoming, turning the area into a focal point of political activity.

Earlier, images of Rahman departing from London’s Heathrow Airport with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman, went viral on social media. The BNP had been preparing for what it described as an “unprecedented” reception in the capital, claiming that more than five million supporters were expected to participate in events welcoming the party’s exiled leader.

Sharing her excitement on social media, Zaima Rahman posted photographs from inside the aircraft alongside her parents, writing on Facebook: “On the way back to my motherland, Bangladesh!”

The BNP announced plans to mobilize up to five million supporters from Dhaka airport to the venue designated for Rahman’s reception, aiming to showcase the party’s strength as Rahman emerges as a leading contender for the post of prime minister ahead of the February elections.

“This will be a defining political moment,” said senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, adding that the party is working closely with authorities to coordinate security arrangements and maintain order during the large-scale gatherings.

Rahman has been living in London since 2008 after facing multiple criminal cases in Bangladesh, including convictions for money laundering and charges linked to an alleged plot to assassinate then–prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Following Hasina’s removal from office, Rahman was acquitted of all charges, removing the legal obstacles that had previously prevented his return to Bangladesh.