BNP leader Tarique heads to National Memorial after paying tribute at father Ziaur Rahman's grave

He is on his way to Savar to pay tribute to the fallen heroes of the Liberation War

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has paid his respects at the grave of his father, party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, marking his first such visit in more than a decade and a half.

Tarique arrived at the mausoleum in Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar shortly before 4:45pm on Friday, accompanied by members of the BNP’s Standing Committee. His motorcade had set off from his Gulshan residence around 2:52pm, but progress was slow because of large crowds lining the route.

Standing at the front of a bus decorated in the red and green colours of the party flag, Tarique waved to party leaders and supporters gathered along the roads. Heavy congestion meant the journey of around 8km took more than two and a half hours.

Security was tightened around the mausoleum, with party supporters standing in rows along the roads from Bijoy Sarani to Crescent Lake, greeting their leader as he passed.

Tarique laid a wreath on Zia's grave around 4:40pm, alongside BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee members, including Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selima Rahman and Hafizuddin Ahmed.

After the tribute, Tarique stood alone at his father’s grave for several minutes, reciting prayers. He later joined a special prayer seeking forgiveness for Zia's soul. Party leaders remained at a distance during this time. He appeared visibly emotional and was seen wiping his eyes afterwards.

Tarique last laid a wreath at his father’s grave in 2006, before leaving the country. He returned to Bangladesh on Thursday after spending more than 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom.

After paying his respects, Tarique left Zia Udyan shortly after 5pm.

Earlier, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Tarique's return had “created hope among the people” and energised party supporters. He said the BNP leader would also travel to Savar's National Martyrs’ Memorial to pay tribute to the fallen heroes of the 1971 Liberation War.

He is expected to return to his residence in Gulshan later in the evening.