After nearly two decades in exile, Tarique Rahman is on the verge of assuming the office of Prime Minister, following a historic landslide victory in the general elections held just two months after his return to Bangladesh. According to official results released by the Bangladesh Election Commission, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allied coalition secured at least 212 out of the 299 seats in the legislature. The son of the late former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman originally left Bangladesh in 2008, citing medical reasons, while he was in police custody on corruption charges.
His return to Bangladesh last December followed the collapse of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration in August 2024, precipitated by youth-led mass protests. The BNP, which Tarique now leads, was founded by his father, Ziaur Rahman. Now 60 years old, Tarique Rahman has pledged to end the nation’s reliance on specific foreign powers, instead opening Bangladesh to global investment. His key policy commitments include providing financial assistance to impoverished families and diversifying the economy to reduce its singular dependence on the garment manufacturing industry.
To curb the potential for authoritarianism in Bangladesh, he has also vowed to introduce a two-term limit for the office of Prime Minister, restricting any individual to a maximum of five years per term. Despite the political pressures that forced him into exile, he has assured the public that he will not pursue a path of political retribution. During Hasina’s tenure, Tarique faced numerous charges, including corruption and terrorism. In 2018, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia for his alleged involvement in a 2004 grenade attack targeting Hasina. However, he has consistently maintained that these trials were politically motivated fabrications. Notwithstanding these challenges, Tarique’s vision remains focused on restoring national stability and ensuring prosperity and progress for the people—a stance he demonstrated throughout his campaign. Rather than engaging in rhetoric against political opponents, he has consistently called for national unity.
Tarique Rahman maintains that a prosperous future for Bangladesh can only be achieved through steadfast adherence to and respect for democratic principles.
