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Is Yunus-Tarique Rahman London meet about his return to Dhaka?
Tarique Rahman, the son of Khaleda Zia, has been living in exile since 2008, when he went to London for medical treatment but never returned, fearing persecution in Bangladesh read more
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman are set to meet in London
Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad is all set to meet BNP's acting chairman and Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman in London on June 13, as speculations grow about the exiled leader's return to the country.
Bangladesh has been embroiled in political uncertainty since the ouster of the Awami League government of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Yunus, as the Bangladesh chief adviser , has the constitutional responsibility to hold elections. He has pegged the conduct of elections to his six-point reforms, causing an extended political stir in the country.
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Now, Yunus is seeking dialogue with opposition leaders to foster political reconciliation and stability. This comes after the BNP boycotted his reform push.
Who is Tarique Rahman?
Rahman has been living in exile since 2008, when he went to London for medical treatment but never returned, fearing persecution in Bangladesh.
In 2023, a court in Bangladesh sentenced Rahman to nine years in prison after finding the opposition leader guilty in a corruption case filed by the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in 2007.
Rahman has been at the forefront of running campaigns against Hasina's government, demanding her resignation.
The government's Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against Rahman in 2007, accusing him of amassing assets through illegal means and of concealing them in his wealth statements.
Will Rahman return?
Widespread speculation in Bangladeshi media and among the diaspora about whether the meeting signals Tarique Rahman's imminent return to Bangladesh. The speculation was boosted further by the comments of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who told reporters in Dhaka on Tuesday, 'He [Rahman] will return soon.' Mirza Fakhrul didn't, however, give a timeframe.
What will Rahman and Yunus discuss?
Discussion between the two leaders is likely to centre on the timing and terms of the next national election. The other focal point could be potential reforms to the electoral process and assurances for free and fair polls.
With inputs from agencies
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