Aspiring prime minister and political heavyweight Tarique Rahman was welcomed back to Bangladesh Thursday by huge crowds of joyous supporters after 17 years in self-imposed exile.
Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and heir apparent of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), shook hands with party leaders after touching down at the Dhaka airport.
Accompanied by his wife and daughter, a visibly emotional Rahman took off his shoes, stood on the grass outside the airport and scooped up the soil as a mark of reverence.
He waved to supporters before ducking into a convoy under tight security, video posted by his party showed.
Rahman left Bangladesh for London in 2008 after what he has described as political persecution.
As acting chairman of the BNP, Rahman will lead the party through the Feb. 12 general election, the first polls since ex-premier Sheikh Hasina's exit following a student-led uprising last year.
The BNP is widely seen as an election frontrunner, with Rahman expected to be put forward as prime minister if his party wins a majority.
Rahman's ailing mother, 80-year-old former leader Zia, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in the upcoming elections.
