Overview
- He landed in Dhaka with his wife and daughter to a massive reception, with supporters lining the route from the airport to Purbachal under heavy security.
- In his first speech, he declared he has a “plan” for a safe, inclusive Bangladesh and is widely expected to be the BNP’s prime ministerial nominee if it wins.
- Higher courts quashed major convictions over the past year, and interim government officials facilitated his homecoming through a one-time travel document.
- The return followed unrest after student leader Osman Hadi’s killing, with arson attacks on media, a lynching, and stones thrown at India’s mission in Chattogram, where visa services were halted.
- Rahman is set to complete voter-registration formalities and begin campaigning for the Feb. 12 vote, with the Awami League barred and the BNP viewed as the frontrunner.