By Tina Khanam and Kalam Azad

BOGURA, April 20, 2026 (BSS) - Eighty five years old Rokeya Begum looks after the house of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's grandparents in Bagbari, Gabtali, Bogura. 

After many days, tears of joy are appeared to the eyes and face of this old woman as Tarique Rahman is returning to the house as the Prime Minister.

So, Rokeya Begum can be heard saying, 'Our son has become the Prime Minister. This is the news of great happiness for us. How many times have you published this? We are all very happy for him".

A local youth, Mohabbat Mandal, said the same thing. Earlier, when Tarique Rahman used to come here, he was very young. At that time, he only heard people's stories about him. But now he will see it with his own eyes. So this young man is every excited.

Tarique Rahman is returning to his ancestral home, which is covered in dust and memories, for the first time since 2006. This is his first visit to his own district (Bogura) after assuming office as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh following his party’s overwhelmed victory in the 13th national elections held on February 12 last.

According to family sources, Ziaur Rahman was from the Mandal family. Their original home was in the nearby village of Mahishaban. Ziaur Rahman's grandfather Kamal Uddin Mandal came to Bagbari and married Michirun Nesa, the daughter of the then landlord (Zamindar) family. Michirun received 500 bighas of land through her paternal lineage. So she started a family with her husband Kamal Uddin in her father's house. Seven sons and two daughters were born to the couple.

Mansur Rahman was the fifth of the sons. He married Jahanara Begum Rani. Four sons were born to Mansur and Jahanara in the present Ziabari, of whom Ziaur Rahman was the second.

Ziaur Rahman's ancestors built a one-story ‘pucca house’ (building) in Bagbari village in 1895. This 130-year-old house is known as 'Ziabari'. It was raised as two-story building in 2001.

 At that time, Tarique Rahman used to take rest in its second floor whenever he came to the village.

The last time BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman visited Bagbari, his ancestral home, Bogura in 2006. Almost two decades have passed since then.

During this time, he suffered inhuman torture. He was in exile. However, Tarique Rahman is going to pass the difficult times and set foot on the land of his ancestors again. 

The news of his arrival has caused a stir in the neighborhoods of Bagbari, starting from Bogura city. The locals of Bagbari also seem to be in no lack of excitement. 

Although Tarique Rahman was in exile for a long time, his spiritual connection with Gabtoli Upazila and his ancestral home never diminished.

He lost his father in 1981 when he was a teenager. As a student, he participated in the anti-dictatorship Ershad movement as his mother's companion. Later, he started his political career from the soil of Gabtoli, Bogrua. 
Tarique Rahman became a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) founded by his father Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman in 1988 when he was just 22. He became a member of the Gabtoli Thana BNP. Since then, his contact with his ancestral home has increased.

Gabtoli Nashipur Union Parishad Chairman Engineer Rokonuzzaman Rokon Talukder said although he can’t remember the date, Tarique Rahman last visited his ancestral home in 2006. 

"We do not know how many times he came. However, he used to come to Bagbari in Bogura. He has kept in touch with the family. While he was in London, he inquired about the people here. 

"After almost 20 years, the son of the house is coming as the Prime Minister. The news of Tarique Rahman's return to the house has caused an excitement here," he said. 

The news of Tarique Rahman's first arrival in Bogura after being elected as the Prime Minister has made the entire district look like a flower blooming in spring. 

This visit is being seen as a new beginning to develop Bogura, which has been deprived of development for long, into a modern and dream city. And the path to that new horizon is going to be opened with the announcement of upgrading the almost 150-year-old Bogura Municipality to the country's 13th city corporation. 

In addition, there are various day-long events during his visit, including the launch of the e-bail bond program, distribution of family cards, and a public meeting at Altafunnesa playground. The local administration has strengthened overall preparations, including security.

Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon said the Prime Minister is a person who is people-friendly and he is a creative son of this Bogra. 

The Prime Minister will attend a public meeting to meet and talk to the people of Bogura separately after the government programme, he said. 

"We will all agree and speak in one voice for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to come to Bogura. Inshallah, Bogura will be developed in the future," he said. 

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said the local administration has taken all out preparations, including strengthening security measurers ahead of the Prime Minister's visit. 

"I hope this visit will be a visit to realise the dreams of the people of Bogura."

Editor of Daily Karatoya Mozammel Haque Lalu said "Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is our son, and it is a matter of great joy for us that he is returning home. He is coming to Bogura for the first time as Prime Minister. We have high expectations from him. This time he is coming as an opportunity to realise the dreams of the people of Bogura."

He said Bogura has been deprived of development for the last 17 years and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit is to end this deprivation. 

"I hope that this time the development of Bogura will see the face of reality. Besides, it is also very good to see the festivities spread across the district on the occasion of the Prime Minister's arrival. The Prime Minister has many more things to do for the people of this district," he said.