Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), finally came home from London on Thursday after 17 years away. He’s back just in time for next year’s parliamentary elections.
With Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League out of the running, the BNP’s got a clear shot at forming the next government, and Tarique is poised to take the top job if things go as planned.
Born in 1965, Tarique grew up in politics. His father, Ziaur Rahman, served as president before being assassinated in 1981. After that, Tarique’s mother, Khaleda Zia, stepped in eventually becoming Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and leading the BNP herself.
People have called Tarique the ‘crown prince’ of Bangladeshi politics for years. He officially jumped into politics in 1988 and became a major player during his mother’s tenure in the early 2000s. But then came exile.
Why Was Tarique Rahman In Exile?
Tarique’s political rise brought plenty of trouble, accusations of corruption, bribery, even political violence. Things got serious between 2006 and 2009, when a military-backed caretaker government started digging into these charges. In March 2007, authorities arrested him in a late-night raid at his home in Dhaka.
He didn’t stay locked up for long. After a few months, Tarique got bail and flew to the UK, supposedly for medical treatment. He stayed there, choosing self-exile, until now.
Over the years, authorities hit Tarique with 84 cases, everything from money laundering to the 2004 grenade attack. He was convicted in several, though the BNP always insisted the charges were politically driven.
Why did Tarique Rahman return now?
Rumours about Tarique’s return started swirling in December 2024, just a few months after Sheikh Hasina’s government collapsed.
Since then, the political winds have shifted. The interim government and the courts tossed out his old convictions by May 2025, Tarique was cleared of all 84 cases tied to the Awami League’s time in power.
With the Awami League blocked from contesting the February 2026 election, Tarique is back to rally the BNP. He’s reorganising the party and leading the charge, setting himself up as the likely next prime minister.
His return couldn’t be more dramatic. Bangladesh is tense right now waves of violence have erupted, especially after the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who played a big role in the protests that toppled Hasina.
Tarique Rahman quotes Martin Luther King Jr
Landing at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Tarique went straight to the July 36 Expressway, where thousands of supporters waited. He called for unity and calm: “Whatever political party we belong to, whatever religion we believe in, whether we are non-partisan individuals, all must join hands to maintain law and order.”
Speaking about Hadi, Tarique added, “He gave his life believing in democracy.”
Tarique also quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and promised to focus on rebuilding Bangladesh, saying the BNP would stick to restoring democratic values and institutions.’
