Tarique Rahman Returns From Exile to Emerge as Key Contender for Bangladesh Premiership

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman has made a striking political comeback, positioning himself as a leading contender to become the country’s next prime minister following the national election scheduled for February 14.

Rahman returned to Bangladesh less than two months ago after spending nearly two decades in self-imposed exile in London. His homecoming followed a dramatic change in the political landscape, after a mass uprising in August 2024 forced long-serving prime minister Sheikh Hasina from power. Hasina now lives in exile in New Delhi, marking the end of an era dominated by intense rivalry between the Awami League and the BNP.

Once a controversial figure associated with the BNP’s 2001–2006 rule under his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, Rahman has adopted a notably restrained public persona since his return. Supporters greeted him with large rallies, but his recent speeches have emphasized reconciliation, stability, and economic reform rather than confrontation.

Rahman, 60, left Bangladesh in 2008 after being detained during a military-backed caretaker government’s anti-corruption drive. At the time, he said he needed medical treatment abroad. Over the years, he faced multiple corruption cases and was convicted in absentia, including a life sentence linked to a 2004 grenade attack on a political rally. Rahman has consistently denied all allegations, maintaining they were politically motivated. Following the fall of the previous government, he has since been cleared of those cases.

Outlining his political vision, Rahman has pledged to rebalance Bangladesh’s foreign relations to attract global investment without overdependence on any single country. He has also promised expanded financial assistance for low-income families, diversification of the economy beyond garments, and constitutional reforms, including a two-term limit for prime ministers to curb authoritarianism.

Born in Dhaka in 1965 to Khaleda Zia and late president Ziaur Rahman, a key figure in Bangladesh’s independence and founder of the BNP, Rahman studied international relations before turning to business ventures in textiles and agro-based industries.

Speaking recently at the BNP headquarters, Rahman said the pace of political developments since his return has been overwhelming. He stressed that his focus is not on settling past scores but on restoring calm to a deeply polarized nation.

“Revenge does not bring anything good for a country,” he said. “What Bangladesh needs now is peace, stability, and a future-oriented political culture.”
 

As election day approaches, analysts say Rahman’s transformation from an exiled political heir to a potential head of government reflects both shifting public sentiment and the rapid reconfiguration of power in Bangladesh’s post-Hasina era. Whether this resurgence will translate into electoral victory now rests with voters.

Source : Reuters