Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, returned to Dhaka from exile in Britain this week. He is a leading candidate for the elections scheduled in February. He was forced out of Bangladesh by the former prime minister, who used the government to charge him with dozens of crimes.
That prime minister was driven from power after huge demonstrations by millions of Bangladeshis. After the military killed over 1000 people the demonstrations grew even larger. Finally the dictatorial government resigned, and the former prime minister took refuge in India.
Mr. Rahman promised if his party wins in February, Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist minorities will receive equal treatment along with the majority Muslim population.
I would hope it would not take over 1000 deaths in the U.S. to change our government. I would hope before that the Courts and the Congress would act. I would hope. The lesson I get from this is that when millions of people demonstrate against a government, that government will eventually fall.
Information for this post is from Saif Hasnat and Mujib Mashal, “Top Bangladeshi Candidate Returns From Exile,” New York Times, (Dec. 26, 2025), p. A7.
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