Highlights:

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has said he will return to Bangladesh on 25 December, seeking prayers from party leaders and supporters ahead of his homecoming after nearly 17 years in the UK.

"I am returning to the country. I ask for everyone's prayers. On the 25th, Insha'Allah, with your prayers and by Allah's mercy, I will return home," Tarique said while addressing a discussion organised by the BNP's London chapter in London, UK, yesterday (16 December), marking Victory Day.

He also urged people to pray for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

"May Allah grant me the strength to carry out the plans I have placed before you and to complete those tasks for the country and its people," Tarique said.

He called on party leaders and supporters to remain united, warning that difficult times lie ahead. 

Drawing an example from the United Kingdom, the BNP leader said, "The reason people in Britain are not deprived of their rightful entitlements is that there is accountability here. The people of Bangladesh have been deprived of their rights for generations.

"So if we want to restore the rightful entitlements of the people of Bangladesh, we must remain united at any cost. There is no alternative to unity. 'United we stand, divided we fall,'" he said.

'Do not go to Heathrow Airport'

Tarique also made a special request to his supporters, asking them not to go to London Heathrow Airport on the day of his return.

"If people gather at the airport, it will create chaos, and it will be evident that they are Bangladeshis. This could damage the country's image and the party's reputation," he explained to the audience.

Expressing gratitude, Tarique said, "I am deeply thankful to expatriates. Many people living abroad supported the movement against autocracy in various ways. Expatriates played a significant role in the success of that movement, and their contribution cannot be underestimated."

He cautioned that work must begin before placing demands. "If we only keep presenting demands without starting work, indiscipline will emerge, and we will not be able to reach our desired goal."

Tarique also expressed optimism that his party will form the next government with public support.

At the end of his speech, a one-and-a-half-minute video was screened highlighting Bangladesh's journey from the 1971 Liberation War to the fall of fascism through the student-led July Uprising of 2024, portraying the vision of a new Bangladesh.

Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 under an army-backed caretaker government.

After falling seriously ill in custody, he came to London in 2008 on bail for advanced medical treatment, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.

After nearly 18 years in exile, Tarique is set to return to Bangladesh on 25 December.

Tarique Rahman / BNP