By Md Manikul Azad

DHAKA, Feb 17, 2026 (BSS) – Bangladesh entered a new political phase on Tuesday with Tarique Rahman becoming prime minister as BNP won two thirds majority in last week’s general election under his stewardship in a changed political landscape.

The oath of office of the new cabinet was administered on Tuesday afternoon while the event was preceded by the swearing in ceremony of new parliament members. 

Widely regarded as the vanguard of the country’s struggle for democratic restoration, Rahman remained relentlessly engaged in dynamic and innovative political initiatives for nearly two decades since his forced  exiled life in London.

His preparedness for taking the charge of the county’s premiership and delivering his job appeared more visible with his intensified and dynamic engagements for greater national harmony and fix the country’s democratic trajectory. 

As part of his struggle, he has set a rare precedent in the nation’s history by visiting the residences of BNP’s main contender Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafique Rahman and its electoral ally National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam. 

Staying away from 8000 kilometers since 2008, Rahman previously secured a long-lasting place in the heart of millions and positioned himself at the forefront of national politics through his pragmatic leadership. 

He returned home on December 25 to a massive welcome and BNP entrusted him with the charge of its chairmanship after the demise of his illustrious mother Muslim world’s first female premier and party’s decades-long chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on December 30.

Rahman proved his leadership in guiding the party towards its historic victory in the 13th parliamentary election held on Thursday. 

A soft-spoken but resolute leader of his generation, he ushered in a new political chapter, aiming to bridge longstanding divides within the nation’s political scenario emphasizing reconciliation over retribution, discarding divisiveness and politics of vengeance and retaliation. 

“Our paths and opinions may differ, but in the interest of the country, we must remain united. I firmly believe that national unity is our collective strength, while division is our weakness,” he said in his first post-election press conference. 

Early life :

The eldest son of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and three time premier Begum Zia, Rahman was born on November 20, 1965 while his childhood and adolescence were spent in Dhaka, amidst the turmoil against the backdrop of nation’s struggle for democracy and subsequently for independence. 

A witness to the country's political upheavals, he along with his mother and late younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko, was detained during the Liberation War and became one of the youngest political prisoners in the struggle for Bangladesh's independence. 

His father, BNP's founder, proclaimed the country's independence deserting his secured army career and emerged as a top military leader in the Liberation War. 

Education and political engagement :

Rahman completed his secondary education at Dhaka Residential Model College and higher secondary studies at Adamjee Cantonment College.

He was enrolled at premier Dhaka University in 1984, first in the law department and later in international relations. 

Several analysts say Rahman was blessed with acumen because of his family’s lead role in the country's politics as  his father was running the country as the President and simultaneously steering the newly formed BNP in late 1970s. 

He later witnessed his mother spearheading a massive pro-democracy campaign against an autocratic regime throughout the 1980s that earned BNP the victory in the 1991 election installing her as the prime minister. 

In university Rahman got himself involved directly in politics and gained early experience in grassroots organizational activities and public engagement.

His academic journey exposed him to the works of political philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire and Karl Marx, shaping his political thought. 

He joined BNP as a primary member in 1988 in Gabtali Upazila of Bogura district, his ancestral home district.

The protracted anti-Ershad campaign turned into a peoples upsurge in 1990 when Ershad regime fell paving the way for a credible general election in 1991. 

Entry into public focus :

Rahman started electioneering tours in nearly every district with his mother, culminating in BNP's victory. 

In later years, he was a pioneering figure in selecting party leadership in a democratic process at the district level through secret balloting to strengthen democracy at grassroots.

Rahman established an office in the capital in 2001 to carry on research on good governance at national local governance system consulting with intellectuals and civil society members and his efforts contributed to the BNP's landslide victory in the 2001 election. 

Despite being the son of party chairperson and premier, Rahman preferred not to hold public offices or become parliament member and rather focused his role in strengthening BNP at the grassroots throughout the country. 

Acknowledging his organizational capacity BNP appointed him as senior joint secretary general in 2002, a position he used for organizing nationwide grassroots-level conferences that gave him the opportunity to engage with thousands of his party activists and common citizens. 

Party officials and aides said responded to over 18,000 letters during the programmes. 

Through public engagement, he promoted initiatives like farmers' subsidies, pensions for the elderly, environmental campaigns and scholarships for female students to ensure gender equality in society.

Personal life :

In personal life Rahman is in nuptial cord since 1994 with cardiologist Zobaida Rahman, daughter of a former navy chief and minister rear admiral Mahbub Ali Khan while the couple is blessed with a daughter, Zaima Rahman who is a barrister and practicing lawyer. 

The tragic loss of his brother, Arafat Rahman Koko, on January 24, 2015 due to a cardiac arrest in Malaysia and the people's long-time deprivation of democratic and voting rights deeply encouraged Tarique's humanitarian and empathetic approach to the leadership. 

Battle with state-sponsored repression : 

On March 7, 2007, Tarique was detained without any prior notice of charge by the then army-backed interim government and languished for 18 months in captivity when he was remanded in police custody when he exposed to torture and inhumane treatment. 

He was released while undergoing treatment at the then PG Hospital in Dhaka on September 3, 2008 and then went abroad a week later for advanced treatment as his health condition deteriorated alarmingly. 

The bitter experiences, fortunately, strengthened his moral courage and commitment to the party and the nation. 

Rahman's prudent and capable political thinking is recognized not only at the national level, but also in the global arena, as he already called upon the country's politicians to shun the path of politics of vengeance and confrontation. 

During his protracted life in exile in London, he engaged himself in research works to devise the country's future development plan and disseminate his party's mission and vision in grassroots by holding virtual meetings. 

He enhanced the engagements ahead of the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for February 12, 2026.

Rahman has been struggling to restore democracy, people's stalled voting rights, reforms of the state, administrative decentralization, revival of the country's ruined economy, strengthening the educational system and ensuring equity in the society irrespective of gender, religion and ethnicity. 

He played a significant role in the campaign for restoring Bangladesh's democracy and under his guidance, BNP leaders and activists participated in protests, including that of the 2024 July Uprising. 

The Uprising resulted in the fall of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League-led dictatorial regime on August 5, 2024 forcing her to flee the country.

In post independence Bangladesh BNP’s founder and Rahman’s father Ziaur Rahman played the pivotal role in restoring democracy scrapping the one-party BAKSHAL system in 1975 assuming the charge of Bangladesh on April 21, 1977 and introduced a multiparty democracy.

Under his mother’s premiership Bangladesh saw the reintroduction of parliamentary form of government during BNP's 1991-1996 tenure. 

Following their footsteps, Rahman all through remained aligned with the party's core democratic principles and continued to pursue the goal of establishing genuine democratic rule to ensures people's fundamental rights, education, clothes, health, food and residence and voting rights. 

In 2023 Rahman unveiled the party’s 31-point proposal outlining Bangladesh's future governance structure, based on Begum Zia's Vision 2030. 

The proposals include a bicameral parliament, caretaker government provisions, constitutional balance, term limits for the prime minister, human rights protections, unemployment allowances, family-friendly policies and a British-model healthcare system.

The programme now serves as BNP's guideline for the state governance. 

Symbol of courage :

Rahman’s life exemplifies tolerance, grassroots engagement, principled politics and humanitarian leadership. 

From 1988 to 2025, his political journey has been marked by resilience, patience and strategic organisation, reflecting a rare blend of ethics, empathy and vision.

His disciplined life and career offer enduring lessons in principled leadership, public service and the transformative potential of steadfast dedication, cementing his place as a defining figure in Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape.