Tarique Rahman promises era of clean politics as Bangladesh holds first election since fall of Hasina

Jailed then exiled in London, Rahman returns home as the main contender to be next prime minister of Bangladesh

Tarique Rahman, who after 17 years in exile is the main contender to be the next prime minister of Bangladesh, has pledged to end entrenched corruption and put the country on a new path" as voting began in the first free and fair elections in almost two decades.

Speaking to the Guardian before polls opened on Thursday morning, Rahman promised a new era of clean politics, including a top down, no tolerance" approach to graft, if his Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) was brought to power.