Tarique Rahman, after 17 years in London exile, has emerged as Bangladesh’s pivotal new leader, steering his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a commanding 209 seats out of 297 in the 13th parliamentary elections- marking a stunning return to power after two decades. This decisive win, amid a 59.44 per cent voter turnout, sidelined Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League (barred from contesting) and elevated right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami to 68 seats, signalling a sharp pivot from Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule that crumbled in August 2024 student protests. Tarique Rahman’s soft-spoken campaign of reconciliation propelled BNP’s resurgence, positioning him as the likely next prime minister in a nation craving stability.
From exile to election victory
Born in 1965 in Dhaka, Rahman witnessed Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war as a child, enduring brief arrest before independence. Dropping out of international relations studies at Dhaka University, he built businesses in textiles and agriculture before rising in BNP- founded by his assassinated father Ziaur Rahman and led by his mother Khaleda Zia for decades. Khaleda’s death in December 2025, just days after his return amid massive welcomes, thrust Rahman into the chairmanship during BNP’s political nadir. Despite personal grief, he swiftly reorganised the party, navigating a hostile landscape rigged by Hasina’s regime, where he faced politically motivated convictions- including a life sentence for a 2004 grenade attack he denies. Acquittals under Yunus’s interim government cleared his path.
Campaign of restraint and vision
Tarique Rahman’s return unveiled a matured leader, ditching past ‘brash operator’ accusations from BNP’s 2001-2006 rule. Echoing Martin Luther King, he declared, “I have a plan for my people and country,” pledging economic recalibration: family aid cards for the poor, diversification from garments to toys and leather, and a 10-year PM term limit to curb autocracy. Avoiding inflammatory attacks on Awami League, he urged restraint and unity, drawing huge crowds despite dynastic critiques. Analysts note his London years honed a democratic outlook, impressing even minority leaders with sophisticated vision, though BNP’s internal discipline- marred by 10,000 expulsions for extortion- remains a hurdle.
Sheikh Hasina condemns Bangladesh’s parliamentary poll as ‘rigged farce’
Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina denounced the February 12, 13th National Parliamentary Election as a ‘meticulously staged sham’ that stains the nation’s democratic legacy, branding it not a reflection of public will but a massive scheme of bureaucratic rigging and vote falsification. She accused the “unlawful Yunus regime” of orchestrating a lopsided farce that stripped citizens of their electoral voice. Hasina demands immediate nullification of this “voterless, illicit and anti-constitutional” poll, the ouster of “killer fascist” Muhammad Yunus, dismissal of fabricated charges against political detainees- including teachers, journalists, thinkers and experts- with their unconditional release, reinstatement of Awami League operations, and fresh, impartial elections under a neutral caretaker setup to truly honour the 180 million people’s mandate.
What Sheikh Hasina said on Bangaldesh parliamentary elections?
International echoes and India’s hopes
China swiftly congratulated BNP, vowing deeper Belt and Road ties, while PM Narendra Modi personally called Rahman, reaffirming India’s commitment to shared peace and prosperity. Modi’s X post hailed the “decisive victory” and historical bonds, extending support for Bangladesh’s progress. Rahman’s neutral foreign policy aims to lure investments without over-reliance on any power, raising questions on India ties amid Jamaat’s Pakistan links- but his reconciliation tone offers optimism.
Referendum seal and women’s representation
A parallel referendum on Muhammad Yunus’s 84-point July National Charter passed decisively (60.26 per cent turnout, majority “yes”), mandating reforms like caretaker governments, bicameral parliament, women’s quotas and judicial independence- tasking the new assembly as a reform council within 180 days. Notably, seven women- six BNP- won seats, including Afroza Khan Rita and independents, in a poll sans dominant female icons like Hasina or Zia.
Challenges ahead for the new era
BNP’s absolute majority in the 350-seat parliament (300 elected, 50 reserved) caps a reversal from Sheikh Hasina-era persecution, but Rahman faces a shattered economy, minority safety concerns post-2024 unrest and party infighting. His landslide mandates daunting reforms in a 170-million-strong nation, blending family legacy with fresh pragmatism.