BNP’s acting chairperson Tarique Rahman on Saturday completed the formalities to be added to Bangladesh’s voter roll and receive a National ID, two days after returning from London following 17 years abroad.
Escorted under tight security, Rahman first paid respects at the grave of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi on the Dhaka University campus, then arrived around 1:00 p.m. at the Election Training Institute in Agargaon, where services for expatriates and VIPs are processed. Inside a ground-floor room, he provided a photograph, ten fingerprints, an iris scan, and his signature. Election Commission (EC) Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was present during the procedures.
Earlier, NID Wing Director General A.S.M. Humayun Kabir briefed reporters that an applicant’s biometric data are uploaded to the EC database and cross-matched before a unique number is generated, a timeframe that can vary by case. Although the EC has finalized the rolls for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, law allows eligible citizens to be enrolled at any time.
Rahman traveled to the EC in a flower-decorated white SUV rather than the red-green bus used in earlier appearances. BNP had announced in advance that he would complete voter registration on December 27.
Bangladesh heads to polls on February 12, 2026, following the December 11 schedule announcement. Party officials say Rahman is expected to contest from his family stronghold, Bogura-6, with local leaders already collecting nomination papers on his behalf.