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Khaled Saifulla 18 Dec 2025 , 5:30 PM Print Edition
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has officially applied for a travel pass at the Bangladesh High Commission in London, clearing the final administrative hurdle for his return to Bangladesh on December 25, 2025.
Journey Details
Tarique Rahman is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:55 am on Christmas Day. He will be traveling from London via a commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Flight BG 202).
Key Context of the Homecoming
Travel Document: Since his Bangladeshi passport expired during his 17-year exile, he is returning on a one-time travel pass. Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain confirmed that such passes are issued within 24 hours for citizens wishing to return.
Health Crisis: Upon arrival, Rahman is expected to go directly to Evercare Hospital to visit his mother, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who has been receiving critical treatment since late November.
Political Impact: This return ends a nearly 18-year exile that began in 2008. The BNP is planning a massive reception, with leaders aiming to make the event “surpass all precedents” in the nation’s history.
