BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman is expected to return to Bangladesh once the election roadmap and the July charter are officially announced, party sources have said, expressing confidence that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will soon finalise these two critical processes.
BNP leaders anticipate that the head of the interim government will address the nation on August 5, during which he is likely to unveil the final roadmap to the 13th parliamentary elections.
“We believe the July charter, based on national consensus, will also be finalised before the address. The party plans to announce Tarique Rahman’s return date once these milestones are confirmed,” one top BNP leader told Times of Bangladesh.
When asked about Tarique’s possible return, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told the newspaper, “The date will be fixed once the election roadmap is announced.”
Senior party leaders have said that a formal announcement of the election schedule and the July charter will accelerate Tarique Rahman’s preparations to return. Rahman, who is currently in London, has taken an active role in party affairs and aims to lead the party’s campaign on the ground ahead of the polls.
On 26 July, after meeting the chief adviser, leaders of 14 smaller political parties told the media that Yunus would announce the election date in four to five days, sending a positive signal among political parties, including BNP.
BNP leaders have expressed optimism that setting a poll date for mid-February 2026 will reduce political uncertainty.
The July charter is in its final stage. Ali Riaz, vice-chairman of the National Consensus Commission, has confirmed that discussions on the draft charter with all political parties will be completed by 31 July.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir recently said the party was preparing for Tarique Rahman’s return, although no specific date has been set.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the chief adviser should inform the Election Commission of the specific date for the national election.
“At that time, the EC will take the matter seriously and move forward with the election schedule,” he said, adding that the chief adviser will have to inform the EC so that the election is held in mid-February 2026.
Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury recently said there is no government restriction on Rahman’s return. BNP, however, is waiting for assurances of his security before making a formal announcement.
Rahman left for London in 2008 for medical treatment and has been living there in self-exile for nearly 17 years. He became BNP’s acting chairman after Khaleda Zia was jailed in a corruption case in 2018.
Following the fall of the Awami League government in a mass uprising in August 2024, Rahman was acquitted of all cases against him.
Political analysts say the election roadmap and July charter will play a crucial role in breaking the current political deadlock. Rahman’s return is expected to boost BNP’s campaign momentum, but the final decision rests with him.