After 17 years in exile, Tarique Rahman, then acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), returned to Dhaka on December 25, 2025. By then, people’s political aspirations had changed significantly through a mass uprising and political transition following a long period of authoritarian rule.
In the aftermath of the July 2024 uprising, Bangladesh’s youth had moved to the center of politics. They not only led the movement that brought down Sheikh Hasina’s government, but also made up a significant portion of the electorate that would choose the next. The youth-led National Citizen Party (NCP) emerged in the political arena; most of its leaders had been at the forefront of the July uprising. Ahead of the national election, Jamaat-e-Islami, in alliance with the NCP and several other Islamist parties, was mounting a political challenge.
Rahman and his party did not take long to recognize the reality. After returning home, he placed young people at the center of various programs, policy plans, and the party’s election manifesto. During the election campaign, several events were organized exclusively for the youth. At that time, analysts viewed them as part of the BNP’s strategy to attract young voters.
