Post by : Meena Ariff

Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has officially completed the formalities to register as a voter and obtain his National Identity (NID) card in Dhaka. This milestone comes just two days after his return to Bangladesh, following over 17 years of self-exile in London.

The 60-year-old BNP leader appeared at the Election Commission office where he underwent biometric enrollment, including fingerprinting and iris scanning. The process was conducted under tight security. On the same day, his daughter, Zaima Rahman, also finalized her voter registration.

Prior to this visit, Tarique Rahman had submitted his voter registration application online. Officials at the Election Commission confirmed that he is expected to receive his NID card within 24 hours of completing the biometric procedures.

Bangladesh first introduced a voter list featuring photographs and biometric data in 2008. This initiative was launched during a military-backed caretaker government that took office following the political crisis of 2007-2008. At that time, Tarique Rahman was imprisoned and subsequently traveled abroad, which prevented him from being included in the new voter list.

The upcoming general elections, set to take place on February 12, 2026, will see Tarique Rahman contesting from his ancestral constituency, Bogura Sadar (Bogura-6). BNP leaders have already gathered his nomination papers on his behalf earlier this month.

However, the ruling Awami League has raised questions about the legality of his recent voter registration. They argue that the final voters’ list had already been prepared and have expressed concern over the timing of his registration, which reportedly took place on a government holiday. The party has also alleged procedural violations regarding his inclusion on the voter list.

Despite these concerns, Election Commission officials have stated that under the law, any eligible citizen is allowed to register as a voter at any time prior to elections.

Security measures were notably heightened around the Election Commission premises during Tarique Rahman’s registration process. The Bangladesh Army, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar, and police forces were deployed to ensure a secure and orderly environment.

Tarique Rahman’s return to active political participation and his inclusion in the voter list mark a significant development as Bangladesh prepares for its next national election.

#Global News