Bangladesh’s BNP leader Tarique Rahman returns from 17-year exile ahead of elections

Guwahati: Tarique Rahman, considered a leading contender for Bangladesh's next prime minister, has returned to the country after spending 17 years in exile, ahead of the upcoming general elections.

Rahman, 60, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a prominent figure in the influential Zia family.

He leads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which aims to reclaim power in the polls scheduled for the new year.

Since 2008, Rahman had been living in London and is expected to assume leadership of the country if the BNP wins the most seats.

His return follows the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.

During Hasina’s tenure, Rahman faced multiple criminal investigations, but all charges were dropped after her government fell.

Hasina is now living in exile in India, and her party is unlikely to participate in the elections, which are being viewed as a critical moment in Bangladesh’s political history.

Last month, Hasina was sentenced to death for her role in suppressing anti-government protests, which UN investigators say resulted in up to 1,400 deaths during student-led unrest.

Tried in absentia, Hasina has denied committing crimes against humanity.