Tarique Rahman Applies for Travel Pass to Return Home

Tarique Rahman Applies for Travel Pass to Return Home

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has applied for a travel pass to return to Bangladesh on 25 December, sources have confirmed.

The application was submitted to the Bangladesh High Commission in London, according to a source in the United Kingdom, who confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo on Thursday evening.

Living in exile in London for political reasons, Tarique Rahman has been without a valid Bangladeshi passport after it expired. Although he had the opportunity to renew his passport following the fall of the Awami League government during last year’s uprising, he did not do so. Under the current circumstances, he will therefore return to Bangladesh using a one-time travel pass, which allows a single entry into the country for Bangladeshi citizens without valid passports.

Last month in Dhaka, Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain told journalists that there were no restrictions on Tarique Rahman’s return. He explained that a travel pass could be issued within a day.

“The rule is that if someone does not have a passport or if it has expired and they wish to return, we issue a one-time pass for a single entry. It takes one day. If he applies today, it can be issued tomorrow, and he can travel the following day. There is no problem,” Touhid Hossain said.

Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 following the political changes of 11 January. After being released from prison in 2008, he travelled to the United Kingdom with his family for medical treatment and has remained there ever since.

After more than 17 years, Tarique Rahman is set to return to Bangladesh on 25 December. He is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:55am on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

The BNP is making extensive preparations to mark his return as a historic occasion. Party Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said on Thursday, “We want his historic return to surpass all precedents of the past 55 years and be so memorable that no similar event occurs in the next 55 years. All our arrangements are aimed at making it truly unforgettable.”

Tarique Rahman’s mother and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since 23 November. After returning, Tarique Rahman may go directly to the hospital to see her. As a result, BNP leaders are considering a suitable reception venue near the airport and Evercare Hospital, according to Salahuddin Ahmed.