On the 25th of December 2025, the BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman saying ‘Not going to give up on Bangladesh’ was followed by a major comeback to Dhaka which attracted enormous crowds and political attention after staying in London for more than 17 years. His home coming was simultaneous with a period of great disturbance in Bangladesh which was marked by national elections planned for February and political unrest with the interim government. Rahman’s return is a powerful indicator of a radical change in the politics of the country and he has already been declared a prime ministerial candidate.
Tarique Rahman’s Message Of ‘Unity And Peace’
In a quite impressive manner, Rahman spoke about the message of unity and peace in a religiously and regionally divided Bangladesh during his first major speech to the followers in Dhaka. He identified the country as common to, and occupied by, the adherents of the four religions Muslims, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, and the role of Jesus Christ as an incarnation of God for the latter two religions. However, he also pointed out the position of peaceful co existence and protection of all, regardless of their religious or cultural heritage, as the main factors. His message was all the more astonishing taking into account that it was made against the backdrop of a recent spate of violence against the Hindu community and all other minorities, as well as domestic and international concerns about the issue.
Tarique Rahman’s ‘Plan’ For Bangladesh
Rahman called for unity in the quest for a secure country, where every person could go out and come back home without the fear of being attacked. He reminded the audience of the very expensive sacrifices in the past, for instance, the liberation struggle in 1971, and said that he could visualize a democratic and secure Bangladesh in 2024. By invoking the unity of those movements, Rahman not only claimed the vision of Martin Luther King Jr. saying, ‘I have a plan’, but also promised through the cooperation of all people the revival of the nation.
His statement indirectly recognized the existing tensions, as fear of riots has grown due to the mob violence and the harassment of minorities. Rahman attempted to calm things down and made no request for provocation by saying that the public should not respond to such actions but keep the peace instead.
