Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman counted the days as he returned to Bangladesh on Thursday morning, ending more than 17 years in exile in London, United Kingdom.
The BNP leader wrote on his Facebook page at 9:34 am: “In the skies of Bangladesh after a long 6,314 days!”
Later, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and daughter Zaima Rahman landed at Sylhet Osmani International Airport in Sylhet at 9:57 am.
The flight had left London’s Heathrow Airport for Dhaka at 6:15 pm (London time) on Wednesday. The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:50 am.
Tarique had left Bangladesh in 2008 for medical treatment after being released from jail during the military-backed caretaker government period and later settled in the UK with his family. During his exile, he faced numerous legal hurdles but was recently cleared of all cases.