Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is poised to become the country’s new prime minister after his coalition secured a decisive victory in the February 12, 2026, parliamentary elections.
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Just months after ending nearly two decades of self-imposed exile in London, Rahman has orchestrated a stunning political comeback.
Exile and Persecution Under Hasina Regime
Son of late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Tarique left Bangladesh in 2008 amid corruption charges and detention.
He faced convictions in absentia—including a life sentence for a 2004 grenade attack—widely seen as politically motivated under Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
From London, he remotely guided the BNP through marginalization, jailings, and office closures.
Return, Uprising, and Landslide Win
Hasina’s ouster in August 2024 via a youth-led uprising cleared the path.
Rahman returned home on December 25, 2025, receiving a hero’s welcome with his family. All charges were dropped post-Hasina.
Leading into Thursday’s vote—the first since the Gen Z revolution—BNP dominated, crossing the majority mark early Friday with over 200 seats in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad. Rahman won seats in Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6.
Emphasizing peace over revenge, he pledged democratic reforms, institutional rebuilding, economic diversification beyond garments, and balanced foreign ties.
Avoiding victory rallies out of respect for his late mother, Rahman focuses on stability and accountability in a transformed Bangladesh.