Overview

• Rahman told BBC Bangla he will return to Bangladesh "soon" and confirmed he will be a candidate in the parliamentary vote scheduled for February 2026.
• Bangladesh’s acting BNP chairman has lived in London since 2008 while facing multiple cases, including the grenade attack prosecution from which he has now been acquitted.
• The February election will be the first since the 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina, with the Awami League banned from activity and its registration suspended.
• The BNP now says a referendum on the interim government’s 'July Declaration' could be held on election day rather than before, a position outlined by senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed.
• Khaleda Zia, 80, remains in poor health after years of legal and medical ordeals, and her role in the campaign is uncertain according to Rahman.