BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to return to Bangladesh in the first week of December, said the party chairperson’s security adviser, Major General (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar.

Party sources said preparations are underway at House No. 196 on Gulshan Avenue, where Tarique will stay near his mother Begum Khaleda Zia’s residence after ending his long exile. Renovation work inside the house is nearly complete, while the outer walls have been freshly painted and secured with barbed wire fencing.

Simultaneously, refurbishment is also ongoing at the BNP Chairperson’s Office on Road No. 86 in Gulshan-2, where security measures have been significantly strengthened ahead of Tarique’s return.

When asked about the timing of his homecoming, Fazle Elahi confirmed that the elder son of Begum Khaleda Zia will return after 17 years in exile in the first week of December — just a day or two after the announcement of the national election schedule.

Acknowledging potential security concerns due to geopolitical factors and the prevailing political situation, he said they expect the government’s Special Security Force (SSF) to be assigned for Tarique’s protection.

Tarique was initially scheduled to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia later this month, but due to the evolving situation, the plan has been postponed until after the national election, Fazle Elahi added.

Last month, the Home Ministry granted permission for BNP to purchase two bulletproof vehicles for the security of Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. The party also expects firearms licenses to be issued soon, according to the BNP security adviser.

Tarique Rahman has been living in self-exile in London since September 2008.