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The political landscape in Bangladesh has been sharply focused by the sudden announcement that BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is scheduled to depart for the country on December 24th. The news immediately triggered an overwhelming demand for travel, causing Bangladesh Biman Airlines to sell out every single ticket for its Dhaka-bound flights on both December 24th and 25th, Daily Dazzling Dawn realized.
It is understood that Mr. Rahman is slated to begin his return journey on the Biman flight on December 24th. A check of the airline's website at eleven o'clock Friday night, London time, confirmed that no tickets in any class were available for purchase on the Dhaka-bound services operating on either the 24th or 25th of December.
Lutfor Rahman Sayad, an authorized Biman ticket vendor, verified the extreme booking pressure, confirming that numerous people had contacted him regarding December 24th tickets since Friday afternoon, only to find them completely unavailable.
Fazlul Rubel, owner of Blue Stone Travels, provided the same information late Friday night. Consequently, reports suggest that many travellers are now scrambling to secure transit flight tickets on various airlines for earlier dates, specifically December 22nd and 23rd.
Repeated attempts to reach Riyad Sulaiman, Biman’s Country Manager for the UK and Ireland, for a statement on the ticket situation were unsuccessful.
Sources within the UK chapter of the BNP have confirmed that Mr. Rahman will undertake his journey using a travel permit provided by the Bangladesh government. Preliminary arrangements are underway to finalise a list of top UK BNP leaders and several other individuals who will travel alongside him on the same flight. Requests to be included as formal companions on his return have been mounting for a considerable period.
Meanwhile, it remains unknown whether any member of the party's Standing Committee or other central leader will travel from Bangladesh to join Tarique Rahman as a co-passenger on his return journey. The identity of his official travel companions, including whether his daughter Zaima Rahman or any daughter of the late Arafat Rahman will accompany him, will only be revealed once the final list of companions is published. It has been confirmed that the list of Tarique Rahman's co-travellers so far includes his private secretary and a official from the party's press wing, among at least five others whose names have been finalised.
There is considerable interest within the British Bangladeshi community regarding Tarique Rahman's journey.
A senior leader of the UK BNP confirmed that the final list of Tarique Rahman’s travel companions will be formally announced by the party once all arrangements are settled. However, a decision has yet to be made on whether he will participate in any official farewell events with the local London community prior to his departure, despite earlier reports suggesting such a meeting.
Meanwhile, UK BNP Assistant Office Secretary Selim Ahmed reported that upon the finalisation of Tarique Rahman's return date on Friday night, enthusiastic activists held Doa Mahfil (prayer meetings) and distributed sweets in celebration. Separately, the Acting Senior Vice President of the UK BNP, Abul Kalam Azad, told this correspondent shortly after midnight that they would attempt to organise a community programme if the leader grants his consent.
