The much-hyped return of ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, to Bangladesh this week has reignited an old question that has been reverberating across the country’s political circles for almost a year.2
‘Khaleda Zia to take final call’
Sources within the BNP ranks and files acknowledge that “certain possibilities" are being actively discussed. However, they insist the final call rests with party chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment in hospital.
Despite her sensitive and fragile health condition, party insiders say she continued to monitor political developments closely and remained firmly in control of strategic decisions even before being admitted to the hospital.
Tarique Rahman’s return to his country after almost two decades comes at a moment of unprecedented political churn. With the Awami League facing a ban, Sheikh Hasina being in political exile and trying to run a campaign from a foreign land, and her party’s organisational machinery having been effectively dismantled, the opposition senses a historic opening. For the BNP, this is not just an election cycle. It is a potential return to power after nearly 15 years in the political wilderness.
For many within the BNP ranks, projecting a familiar name may offer continuity, emotional recall, and also organisational cohesion. For others, it raises uncomfortable questions about dynastic politics at a time when Bangladesh’s electorate, particularly its young voters, has been demanding institutional credibility over lineage.
A changed political field, and difficult alliances
A senior BNP leader told News18 that the party is preparing for “multiple political scenarios", including a broad-based alliance. In this calculus, Jamaat-e-Islami could emerge as a crucial player. With the Awami League out of contention, Jamaat’s organisational depth and street-level reach may prove decisive in several constituencies, said another source who does not want to be named.