
Tarique Rahman, Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a candidate for the Dhaka-17 constituency, cast his ballot in the 13th National Parliamentary Election today.
He exercised his franchise at the Gulshan Model School and College polling center at 9:36 AM on Thursday. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Barrister Zaima Rahman.
Due to his high-profile status, a significant contingent of Army and Police personnel was deployed to ensure security at the center.
This marks the first time Tarique Rahman is directly contesting in a national parliamentary election. The BNP has already announced that he will serve as the Prime Minister should the party form the government.
In this election, Tarique Rahman is contesting with the "Sheaf of Paddy" (Dhaner Shish) symbol from two seats: Dhaka-17 and his ancestral constituency, Bogra-6.
He returned to Bangladesh on November 25, 2025, after 17 years in exile in London, and updated his voter registration on November 27.
Political Background
Tarique Rahman's political journey began during the anti-autocracy movement against military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. He officially became a member of the BNP in 1988. Over the decades, he has held several key positions:
Following the death of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on December 30, 2025, the party's Standing Committee appointed Tarique Rahman as the Chairman of the party on January 9, 2026.




