Tarique Rahman: From Exile to the Peak of Power - Reuters

The 13th National Parliamentary Election was held across Bangladesh on Thursday (February 12) in a festive atmosphere, with the BNP currently leading by a wide margin.

In light of these events, the London-based news agency Reuters published a feature on the party's chairman, Tarique Rahman.

The following is a translation of the report:

After nearly 17 years of self-imposed exile, Tarique Rahman has returned home and is on the verge of victory in one of the most significant elections in the nation's history.

According to Bangladeshi media, the alliance led by his party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has already crossed the majority threshold in the parliamentary elections. If current trends hold, he is set to become the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Tarique Rahman left the country in 2008 for medical treatment after being detained during an anti-corruption drive by the military-backed caretaker government. During his long stay in London, the BNP was gradually marginalized in domestic politics.

However, the political landscape shifted dramatically in August 2024 following a youth-led mass uprising that ousted the long-standing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government. Hasina is currently in exile in New Delhi.

Upon his return last Christmas, Tarique Rahman received a hero's welcome in Dhaka.

For decades, Bangladeshi politics was dominated by the rivalry between Sheikh Hasina and Tarique’s mother, Begum Khaleda Zia. His father, the late President Ziaur Rahman, governed the country from 1977 to 1981.

Key Election Pledges
In his campaign promises, Tarique Rahman emphasized:

Foreign Policy: Recalibrating international relations to avoid over-reliance on any single power.

Economic Diversification: Increasing aid for poor families and attracting investment in new sectors like toys and leather goods to move beyond the garment industry.

Governance Reform: A proposal to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure to a maximum of two terms or 10 years.

A New Image
Since returning, Rahman has made a conscious effort to project a more restrained and statesmanlike image. He has consistently denied allegations of running a "parallel power center" during Khaleda Zia’s 2001–2006 administration.

During Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, Rahman faced multiple corruption cases and a life sentence related to the 2004 grenade attack—charges he has always maintained were politically motivated.

Following the recent change in power, he has been acquitted of all charges.

Within the BNP, his control is absolute. Party sources confirm he has personally led everything from candidate selection to alliance strategies.

While he is a product of dynastic politics, Rahman insists his primary goal is the restoration of democracy and the establishment of an accountable state.