India, Dec. 25 -- The return of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rehman to Dhaka after 17 years in exile in the UK is a development with significant ramifications for his party and the country's political landscape. Rahman, the son of former dictator Ziaur Rahman and former premier Khaleda Zia, left Bangladesh in 2008 as per an understanding with the then military-backed government; his return shows he believes the general election will go ahead as scheduled on February 12 and his presence will bolster the BNP's fortunes in the face of a challenge from the Jamaat-e-Islami and the student-led National Citizen Party.

Since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government last year, Bangladesh has faced a political and leadership...