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Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has emerged as a galvanising figure in the political arena after his return to the country on Thursday following 17 years in exile, drawing vast jubilant crowds wherever he has made appearances.
From the moment he set foot on home soil, Rahman received what supporters described as a hero's welcome. His return appeared to unleash a wave of pent-up emotion among BNP followers of all ages, as well as sympathisers from different walks of life, many of whom see his homecoming as a symbolic turning point in the country's turbulent political landscape.
On Thursday, millions gathered along the 300-feet boulevard in Purbachal to welcome him, turning the arterial road into a sea of party flags, banners and slogans. The following day, the momentum carried into central Dhaka and beyond, as thousands assembled at Zia Udyan, the site of former president Ziaur Rahman's mausoleum, and later at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar, where Tarique Rahman was scheduled to pay homage.
From noon on Friday, Zia Udyan became the focal point of the gathering. Several thousand BNP leaders and activists arrived carrying festoons and placards, chanting slogans in praise of their leader. The atmosphere was celebratory but tightly controlled. To prevent disorder and ensure Rahman's security, a heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel was put in place, including police, members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar forces and officers in plain clothes. However, for him, it took more than three hours to reach the Shahid Zia's mausoleum as the Bijoy Sarani was packed with a huge crowd.
By evening, attention shifted to Savar, where the scale of the turnout appeared even larger. Lakhs of BNP supporters converged on the National Martyrs' Memorial, transforming the surrounding area into a densely packed procession ground. On-the-spot observations showed that supporters lined the Dhaka-Aricha highway from the Nabinagar bus stand to the main gate of the memorial, stretching for kilometres.
Marching in groups, activists carried banners and festoons and chanted slogans welcoming Tarique Rahman to Savar. Many described the gathering not merely as a political rally, but as an emotional reunion after nearly two decades of absence.
"This day is one of great joy for us," said Rashedul Ahsan Rashed, former organising secretary of Dhaka District BNP. Speaking to journalists at the memorial, he added: "Today BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will visit the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar. That is why we have been present here since noon."
Another BNP activist echoed the sentiment, framing the turnout as the result of long-held anticipation. "We have been waiting for this day," he said. "Our leader Tarique Rahman has returned to the country and is coming to Savar. That is why lakhs of people have gathered here to welcome our leader."
For the BNP, Rahman's return has injected fresh energy into its rank and file, with the mass gatherings serving as a visible display of organisational strength and popular enthusiasm. For many supporters, the scenes of euphoria reflect more than loyalty to an individual leader; they signal renewed hope, after years of exile and political uncertainty, that their party is once again at the centre of national politics.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com