Tarique Rahman is the eldest child of Bangladesh’s two prominent political figures, the martyred President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. In his youth, both domestic and foreign conspirators assassinated his father, President Ziaur Rahman.
Despite being born into a political family, he did not choose a life of luxury or comfort. From adolescence, he became involved in life’s struggles alongside his mother. After overcoming many challenges, he has continued to work under the guidance of his mother—the national leader—for the country and its people.
He has faced conspiracies both at home and abroad. He has suffered persecution and imprisonment and has lived in exile. Yet, he has never compromised with injustice.
Guided by his mother—the former and three-time Prime Minister—he devoted himself to the welfare of the people, aiming to fulfill the dreams of his martyred father.
Today, November 20th, is the birthday of Tarique Rahman, one of the notable figures in the country’s nationalist politics. His name has always carried special significance in Bangladesh’s political sphere.
During the 1971 Liberation War, he remained imprisoned with his mother under the Pakistani forces. The experience of incarceration in childhood brought him very close to the political realities of the country.
After completing his studies at BAF Shaheen School and College in Dhaka, he pursued higher education in the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka.
In 1988, he began grassroots politics with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) by joining the Gabtali Upazila unit in Bogura as a general member. Before the 1991 election, he participated in campaigning with his mother, Begum Zia, in almost every district of the country.
Before 2001, he established a research unit in Dhaka. There he began identifying local problems, issues of good governance, policy proposals, and gathering opinions from grassroots communities. Alongside this, he initiated various public-interest programs. In continuation of these efforts, the BNP achieved a landslide victory in the 2001 elections. Even though he had the opportunity to be at the center of power, Tarique Rahman never accepted any ministerial position or parliamentary seat.
Strengthening the party’s organizational structure remained his primary objective. In 2002, after being elected Senior Joint Secretary General of the BNP, he organized grassroots conferences, promoted issues such as agricultural subsidies and social allowances, and led movements against plastic bags, through which he developed a large organizational network. He responded in writing to nearly 18,000 letters from party workers, a gesture widely regarded as a sign of humane leadership.
However, the 2007–08 “One Eleven” caretaker government changed the course of his life. His arrest and severe torture made his political path extremely difficult. According to the BNP, such actions were carried out to remove Rahman from politics. During the One Eleven period, he became gravely ill due to torture and was compelled to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
Under the subsequent Sheikh Hasina government, he was handed one sentence after another in what the BNP described as fabricated cases filed during the One Eleven era. From abroad, he remained active in the party’s central policymaking. Through technology, he continues to keep leaders and activists united.
In his personal life, he is the husband of Dr. Zubaida Rahman and the father of Zaima Rahman. His interests in study, music, culture, and pets reflect a more humane, calm, and thoughtful character.
Following the political changes after August 5th, each of his statements has become central to national politics. Despite state restrictions and smear campaigns, Tarique Rahman remains an uncompromising leader to millions of supporters. His encouragement for party leaders and workers to avoid formal celebrations even on his birthday further highlights his political restraint.
