Ending months of speculation, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to return to Bangladesh on December 25, but the journey hinges on a crucial procedural step: his recently applied travel pass, needed because his Bangladeshi passport has expired. Tarique himself confirmed his return in a statement, while a diplomatic source told Jago News that he had filled out the travel pass form and sent it to the Bangladesh High Commission in the UK through another person.
Party insiders say the return is being viewed within the BNP as a major political turning point, with leaders and activists preparing to receive him amid heightened expectations ahead of the next phase of national politics.
According to sources, five people—including his wife and daughter—will accompany him, giving the return both political and symbolic significance for the party.
Flight details confirmed
Sources said Tarique Rahman has booked tickets on Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG 2020, scheduled to depart from London’s Heathrow Airport at 6:15pm on December 24. If all goes according to plan, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:45am on December 25.
Before landing in Dhaka, the aircraft is scheduled to make a one-hour stopover at Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport.
All six passengers have confirmed business-class bookings. Those travelling with Tarique Rahman include his wife Zubaida Rahman, daughter Zaima Jarnaz Rahman, BNP media team head Abu Abdullah Saleh, personal assistant Abdur Rahman Sunny, and Tabassum Farhana.
The total ticket cost is 9,856 British pounds, equivalent to approximately Tk 16 lakh, according to booking documents.
Passport issue fuels political debate
Although Zubaida Rahman is currently staying in Dhaka, a senior BNP source said she is scheduled to return to London on December 20 and is expected to come back to Bangladesh with Tarique Rahman two days later.
The tickets were booked through Imran Travels. Booking documents show that all passengers except Tarique Rahman are British passport holders, while no passport information for him appears in the records.
Tarique Rahman does not currently hold a Bangladeshi passport, and it is not known whether he has a British passport. His return therefore depends on the travel pass he has applied for, an issue that has sparked intense discussion in political and legal circles.
BNP mobilisation, security focus
BNP sources say the party is preparing organisationally for Tarique Rahman’s arrival, viewing it as a moment that could reinvigorate grassroots morale and redefine leadership visibility ahead of upcoming political developments.
Security arrangements at the airport and along key routes are expected to be closely coordinated, given the political sensitivity of the return and the anticipated presence of party leaders and supporters.
Sources confirmed that all reservations on the flight are fully confirmed, with ticket numbers properly assigned and stored according to aviation security and passenger documentation rules. All flight details remain unchanged, and the passengers are expected to travel from London to Dhaka as scheduled.