BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman spent a packed day on Saturday following his return to the country after 17 years in exile, attending a series of engagements that included voter registration, grave visits, and family commitments.
The day began shortly after 11am, when Tarique Rahman paid tribute at the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque. He also visited the grave of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Manch, who was recently laid to rest at the same site. During the visits, the BNP acting chairman offered fateha and took part in prayers.
After the grave visits, Tarique Rahman went directly to the Election Commission (EC) office in Agargaon. At around 1:10pm, he completed the formal voter registration process and received his National Identity Card (NID). EC officials said that under Section 15 of the Voter List Act, the commission has the authority to include any individual as a voter at any time, and there are no legal complications regarding his registration.
According to the EC, Tarique Rahman will be registered as a voter of Ward No. 19 in the Gulshan area under the Dhaka-17 constituency. On the same day, his daughter Zaima Rahman also completed her voter registration and NID-related formalities.
After leaving the EC office, he went to Banani Graveyard, where he visited the grave of his younger brother, the late Arafat Rahman Koko, and offered prayers seeking forgiveness for his soul. He then visited the nearby Banani Military Graveyard to pay respects at the grave of his father-in-law, former rear admiral Mahbub Ali Khan.
Later in the afternoon, the BNP acting chairman also visited the graves of army officers who were killed during the Pilkhana massacre at the Banani Military Graveyard, offering prayers and munajat for the departed souls.
Amid his busy schedule, Tarique Rahman visited his father-in-law’s residence, Mahbub Bhaban, in Dhanmondi in the afternoon—his first visit there in 17 years. He travelled by road from his Gulshan residence. During the visit, he was seen affectionately interacting with several cats inside the house. A photo shared by the BNP media cell’s verified Facebook page, captioned “Animal lover Tarique Rahman,” drew widespread attention on social media, with many users praising the moment.
It is worth noting that Tarique Rahman’s family has a pet cat named Jebu, which arrived in Dhaka from London along with other family members on Thursday.
Earlier, on December 25, Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh from the United Kingdom, ending his long period of exile. He landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:39am on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight and was welcomed with flowers at the VIP lounge by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other senior party leaders.
After leaving the airport, he joined a massive public reception at the 300 Feet area in Purbachal, travelling in a bus decorated in red and green. Addressing lakhs of party leaders, activists, and supporters, he delivered a brief speech. Following the reception, he went directly to Evercare Hospital in the capital to visit his ailing mother and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. After the visit, he returned to his Gulshan residence with his family.
