[🇧🇩] Monitoring the political activities of BNP

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Tarique Rahman applies for 'travel pass' to return home

BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, has applied for a “travel pass” to return to the country on 25 December. He submitted the application to the Bangladesh High Commission in London. A source in the United Kingdom confirmed the information to Prothom Alo on Thursday evening, saying that...

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Tarique Rahman applies for 'travel pass' to return home

Diplomatic Correspondent Dhaka
Updated: 18 Dec 2025, 22: 06

BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, at the City Pavilion Hall in London.GR Sohel

BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, has applied for a “travel pass” to return to the country on 25 December.

He submitted the application to the Bangladesh High Commission in London.

A source in the United Kingdom confirmed the information to Prothom Alo on Thursday evening, saying that Tarique Rahman’s application for a travel pass has already been submitted to the Bangladesh High Commission.

Exiled in London for political reasons, Tarique Rahman did not receive a Bangladeshi passport after its validity expired.

Although there was an opportunity to apply for passport renewal following the fall of the Awami League government in last year’s uprising, he did not do so. Under the current circumstances, he will therefore need to travel on a travel pass to return to Bangladesh as a Bangladeshi citizen.

Last month in Dhaka, responding to journalists’ questions at an event, foreign adviser Touhid Hossain said there were no restrictions on Tarique Rahman’s return to the country and that a travel pass could be issued within a day. In this regard, he said, “The rule is that if someone does not have a passport or if it has expired and they wish to return, we issue a one-time pass for a single entry into the country. It takes one day. So, if he says today that he wants to return, we could issue it tomorrow, and he could board a plane the day after. There is no problem. We can issue it.”

Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 following the political changes of 11 January. After being released from prison in 2008, he travelled to the United Kingdom with his family for medical treatment and has remained there since.

After more than 17 years, Tarique Rahman is returning to Bangladesh from the United Kingdom on 25 December. He will arrive at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:55am that day on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

BNP is making special arrangements to mark Tarique Rahman’s return as a memorable event. The party’s Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said on Thursday, “We want his historic return to surpass all precedents set in the past 55 years and to be so memorable that no similar historic event occurs in the next 55 years. All our arrangements are aimed at making it truly unforgettable.”

Tarique Rahman’s mother and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since 23 November. After returning to the country, Tarique Rahman may go directly to the hospital to see his mother. Therefore, according to Salahuddin Ahmed, a suitable venue near the airport and Evercare Hospital is being sought to receive him.​

 

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Some are trying to create anarchy in the country: Tarique Rahman

BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman has warned party leaders to remain vigilant, saying the days ahead will not be easy. Anarchy has begun in different parts of the country, and some are trying to create disorder.

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Some are trying to create anarchy in the country: Tarique Rahman
Staff Correspondent Bogura
Published: 21 Dec 2025, 20: 53

BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman speaks at the inauguration ceremony of a digital memorial in remembrance of the July martyrs at the Shaheed Titu Auditorium in Edward Park, Bogura municipality on 21 December 2025. Prothom Alo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman has warned party leaders and activists to remain vigilant, saying the days ahead will not be easy. Anarchy has begun in different parts of the country, and some are trying to create disorder. Everyone must stay alert, he said.

Tarique Rahman made these remarks today, Sunday afternoon while speaking online as the chief guest at the inauguration of a digital memorial for the July martyrs at the Shaheed Titu Auditorium in Edward Park, Bogura municipality.

The BNP acting chairperson said, “Shaheed Osman Hadi was on the path of democracy. He was a candidate who believed in democratic and electoral politics. If we are to honour Shaheed Hadi, the July martyrs and fighters, and the martyrs and fighters of 1971, then we must have one clear goal, to establish peace for the people of this country, to work for the country, and to move the nation forward. Our aim and purpose must be one, work to build the country, Bangladesh comes first.”

Referring to the successes of two BNP leaders in running the state in the past, Tarique Rahman said BNP founder martyred president Ziaur Rahman rescued the country from the brink of destruction. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, he said, saved the country from autocracy in 1991 and gradually steered it from the edge of ruin towards development.

“We have once again been given an opportunity,” he added. “We must build a healthcare system for nearly 200 million (20 crore) people, create a quality education system for future generations, ensure employment for young people, and ensure that women do not fall behind. We must work so that women are educated and able to stand on a strong economic footing. The country’s economic condition is not good. We must work hard to bring the country back from the brink of destruction.”

Calling for unity among all, Tarique Rahman said, “There is much work ahead. Those who believe in democracy, whether they are BNP leaders and activists or those of other parties must all remain united.”

Among others, BNP chairperson’s advisers AKM Mahbubur Rahman and Helaluzzaman Talukder, former district BNP president Saiful Islam, former district BNP convener and BNP candidate for Bogura-5 Golam Md Siraj, BNP candidate for Bogura-1 and central committee member Kazi Rafiqul Islam, and BNP candidate for Bogura-4 and district BNP acting secretary Mosharraf Hossain also addressed the programme chaired by Bogura district BNP president Rezaul Karim.​

 

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How BNP wants to build the country

A political party’s future largely depends on how effectively it can promote its people-oriented programmes, and electoral victory also depends significantly on public-friendly initiatives

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How BNP wants to build the country

Salahuddin Ahmed Raihan
Published: 22 Dec 2025, 16: 41

Perhaps for the first time in Bangladesh’s history, a political party has arranged training for its own leaders and activists to ensure that its specific programmes reach everyone, from urban citizens to marginalised communities. From 7 to 13 December, BNP provided training on eight topics to leaders and activists from its affiliated organisations as well as the main party.

The “Nation-Building Programme” functioned not only as a set of training workshops, but also, through these workshops, outlined in broad terms what the BNP, as a party, intends to do for the people in the public sphere. Through nine leaflets, the party has presented its future plans on issues such as health, education, women, farmers, employment, sports, imams and muezzins as well as leaders of other religions, climate and agriculture, corruption, and more.

Essentially, in every election held since Bangladesh’s independence, political parties have published manifestos outlining what they would do if elected. The BNP will likely publish its manifesto in due course as well. However, a manifesto is a fairly large booklet that usually contains detailed programmes. It is difficult to convey future plans to ordinary people through such a bulky publication. I believe that is why the BNP has undertaken this kind of innovative initiative, which I hope will prove quite effective.

Women: BNP has outlined a key framework for its core plan for women in the country and the kinds of initiatives it intends to take to improve their socio-economic conditions. This is the “Family Card.” By issuing this Family Card to the female head of a household, the party aims to empower women and make them self-reliant. It appears this will make a significant contribution for marginalised women, as the Family Card will provide monthly financial assistance or food support ranging from Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500.

Health: The health-related leaflet seeks to provide guidelines to ensure that people receive primary healthcare and corruption-free medical services. Alongside a target of recruiting 100,000 new health workers, it proposes measures to improve service quality at union-, upazila-, and district-level health centres. A completely new initiative BNP plans to introduce is public–private partnerships to ensure that ordinary people can quickly access treatment for life-threatening and critical illnesses.

BNP founder and martyred President Ziaur Rahman once took a groundbreaking initiative through canal excavation programmes. The BNP has pledged to revive this canal excavation initiative.

It is often seen that cancer patients face long delays in getting chemotherapy or radiotherapy appointments at government hospitals, while in many cases equipment remains out of order. To ensure swift healthcare for such patients, the government would partner with private hospitals to provide services. Necessary policies would be adopted if BNP forms a government. The same approach would apply to other complex diseases. Arrangements would also be made to provide free medicines for primary healthcare, low-cost medicines for deadly diseases such as cancer, stroke, and diabetes, and, above all, to carry out science-based mosquito control and treatment programmes.

Agriculture: Special incentives for farmers have been offered, to varying degrees, by almost every government. However, this would be the first initiative to introduce a fully digitalised “Farmer Card.” This card would contain information on various government benefits, ensuring farmers are not exploited by middlemen. Through the card, farmers would be guaranteed fair prices for fertiliser, seeds, and pesticides; fair returns for agricultural produce; access to agricultural loans on easy terms; and agricultural insurance facilities. In addition, arrangements would be made to provide updated weather and market information through mobile apps. Crop healthcare services would also be digitalised. Fish farmers and livestock farmers would also be brought under this card system.

Employment: A vast segment of Bangladesh’s population, especially educated youth, remains outside employment. The BNP has placed major emphasis on employment in its plans. Through initiatives such as introducing international payment gateways including PayPal for freelancers; organising nationwide and campus-based innovation idea competitions for young people, with startup funds, training, and technical support for winners; adopting investment policies to make job creation easier and reducing bureaucratic hurdles for domestic and foreign investors; launching targeted employment programmes for the uneducated rural population, homemakers, the elderly, and the long-term unemployed; and ensuring merit-based government recruitment—the BNP plans to take immediate and effective steps to create 10 million jobs.

Education: With the slogan “Joyful education, skilled manpower, and a modern Bangladesh,” the plan outlines initiatives to modernise the education system. These include “one teacher, one tablet” at the primary and secondary levels; compulsory third-language education; establishment of multimedia classrooms; technical education for all; prioritising good health and nutrition; and ensuring improved economic and social status for both cadre and non-cadre teachers—aiming to make the education system student-friendly and teacher-friendly.

Climate and Environment: BNP founder and martyred President Ziaur Rahman once took a groundbreaking initiative through canal excavation programmes. The BNP has pledged to revive this canal excavation initiative. According to its priorities, 20,000 kilometres of canals and rivers would be re-excavated to ensure water flow. The party has also proposed the Teesta Barrage Development and Padma Barrage projects. To ensure pollution-free air, it plans to plant 250 million trees over five years. Through integrated waste management, initiatives would be taken to produce energy and organic fertiliser, and waste recycling would be promoted to keep the environment pollution-free.

Sports: Initiatives would be taken to make sports compulsory from Class Four. BNP previously launched talent hunts in music through the “Notun Kuri” programme. This time, through a “Notun Kuri Sports” programme, it plans to provide scholarships to talented student athletes aged 12 to 14. Other initiatives include plans to build sports villages with indoor facilities in all 64 districts; establish BKSP branches in every divisional city; ensure adequate playgrounds in all metropolitan areas and rural regions; provide sporting opportunities at national and international levels for people with special needs and the underprivileged; and appoint sports officers and physical education teachers in all upazilas—efforts aimed at taking the country’s sports sector to new heights.

Khatibs, Imams, Muezzins, and leaders of other religions: For the first time, arrangements would be made to provide monthly honorariums to khatibs, imams, and muezzins. Special allowances during religious festivals, skills-development training to create alternative employment opportunities, and initiatives to enhance their state recognition have been proposed. Monthly honorariums and festival allowances would also be provided to places of worship of other religions (Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and others), ensuring equal benefits for all.

Through these eight leaflets, the BNP aims to present some of its flagship programmes to the public in a way that is easy to understand and communicate. A political party’s future largely depends on how effectively it can promote its people-oriented programmes in the public sphere, and electoral victory also depends significantly on public-friendly initiatives. The Family Card, Farmer Card, and public–private partnership-based healthcare system are all new additions in the context of Bangladesh.

I believe that proper implementation and success of these programmes would significantly transform the country’s socio-economic conditions.

This new form of electoral campaigning by the BNP will not remain confined to rhetoric alone. There is an expectation that, if elected, the party will implement these commitments to the people with the highest priority in a corruption-free environment and will continue people-oriented programmes.

* Salahuddin Ahmed Raihan is an engineer, columnist, and political analyst​