BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman arrived in Dhaka from London on Saturday after 17 years in exile that began in 2008, returning to complete his National Identity Card (NID) registration and enlist himself as a voter. His return was marked by a massive welcome from supporters, with party leaders describing the homecoming as historic.
Rahman visited the Election Commission’s National Identity Wing at Agargaon in Dhaka to complete the registration process, during which he provided biometric details and submitted the required documents. He was accompanied by his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and their daughter, Zaima Rahman. According to the Dhaka Tribune, both his wife and daughter had already completed the online voter registration process.
The wait of 17 long years has finally come to an end.
Today, Dhaka witnessed history as millions of people gathered to welcome BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman back to his homeland. After 17 years of political exile, the leader of the masses has returned to his motherland.
The… pic.twitter.com/WNNjw3alM4— Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP (@bdbnp78) December 25, 2025
After completing the registration, Rahman visited Dhaka University, where he offered prayers at the grave of slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi amid tight security. He was accompanied by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
The 60-year-old BNP leader also paid tribute at the grave of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, located beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque, The Daily Star reported.
Who was Sharif Osman Hadi
Sharif Osman Hadi was a spokesperson for Inqilab Mancha, a political platform that emerged from the student protest movement of July 2024. The movement played a central role in forcing Sheikh Hasina to step down after weeks of unrest. Hadi became one of the most visible faces of the protests and was seen as a link between student groups and wider political mobilisation.
In recent months, he had begun preparing for formal politics and was expected to contest the upcoming general elections scheduled for February. He was shot dead earlier this month in an attack that has heightened political tensions ahead of the national elections scheduled for February. After being airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment, Hadi succumbed to his injuries on December 18 and was laid to rest beside the grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam on December 20.
