Tarique Rahman Secures Spot in Voter List Ahead of Key Bangladesh Elections

Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was included in the voter list ahead of Bangladesh's February 12 elections. Despite legal challenges and concerns from Awami League party, Rahman completed biometric enrollment after returning from a 17-year self-imposed exile in London.

In a significant political development, Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been officially included in the voter list just weeks before a crucial election on February 12. This comes after Rahman, accompanied by his daughter Zamia, completed biometric procedures at the Election Commission (EC) office.

The inclusion raised eyebrows, with the Awami League party questioning the legality of this move since the final voter list was supposedly already finalized. Critics pointed out that the process unfolded on a Saturday, typically a non-working day for government offices.

Despite these controversies, former Election Commission official SM Asaduzzaman clarified that legal provisions permit the inclusion of eligible citizens in the voter list at any time, countering the Awami League's objections. Rahman is set to contest from the Bogura-6 constituency, marking his return to Bangladeshi politics after 17 years in self-exile.

(With inputs from agencies.)