Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. File Photo

DHAKA, Nov 19, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman's 61st birthday is tomorrow as the eldest son of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, was born on November 20, 1965.

Tarique Rahman's birthday, however, is going to be celebrated in a simple manner across the country as the BNP has instructed its leaders and activists not to arrange any celebrations, including cake-cutting, on the occasion.

As per the instruction, like the previous years, no programmes --formal or informal-- should be arranged to mark his birthday. Those considering such events have been asked to donate the money instead.

Son of a strict disciplinarian, Tarique Rahman's childhood starts off in a modest environment where simple living was the motto of his family. 

As steps in his school going age, his parents got him admitted to the Shaheen High School and College, Dhaka Cantonment, an English-medium school then that was open to the wards of army personnel only.

He finished his secondary school and higher secondary school certificate examinations with flying colors. His journey to the higher seat of learning begins at Dhaka University, a premier public university in the country. For his graduate studies, he opted for International Relations (IR) as one of his favorite subjects.

Regular academic activities aside, Tarique Rahman patiently delved deep into the political thoughts of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, Karl Marx, and other political and social thinkers. 

The philosophy of these great minds enriched his understanding of state, polity, and democracy in their true manifestations profoundly. 

He graduated in International Relations in a most volatile situation at a time his mother was spearheading a movement against the autocratic rule of Ershad. 

With a good grasp of theoretical underpinnings of state and polity during his graduate studies, Tarique Rahman was instinctively drawn to politics in an atmosphere of people's movement his mother was waging.

He formally made an entry into politics in 1988 by accepting primary membership in Gabtali Upazila, the historic birthplace of his father Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, under Bogura district located in northern Bangladesh. He became a member of the Bogra district BNP in 1993. He seized the opportunity to mobilize public opinion in favor of his party during the parliamentary elections in 1991. 

In the capacity of National Campaign Strategy Committee member of the party, Tarique Rahman coordinated the election campaign of five constituencies his mother was contesting. 

Her thumping victory in all five constituencies proved his worth as a meticulous organizer to assume a future leadership role in the party.

But, later he was a victim of abuse by the one-eleven government. He was subjected to a series of utterly cruel, mischievous, and conspiracy acts by the army-backed illegitimate 1/11 caretaker government to dethrone him from the politics. He was also implicated in false cases with no proof. But this could not enervate his spirit to resign from politics.

He dreams of seeing the pitfalls of democratic practices in his own country to be removed once for all.

Tarique Rahman floated the idea of total structural reform as the country was locked in grave misrule and non-governance under an autocratic government ruling for about 16 years without people's mandate.
 
Already earning mass support, his 31-point country reform plan encompasses the entire executive, judiciary, and legislative branches of government. 

Replete with noble expectations and ideas, Tarique Rahman envisions a nation where every citizen will live in peace in harmony with dignity and prosperity. 

He aspires to see his motherland go back to the rails after the fall of an autocratic regime through a mass upsurge on August 5 and turn into a democratic nation where every citizen will enjoy their inalienable fundamental rights. 

He dreams of turning future Bangladesh into a climate-resilient nation. He dreams of collaborating with the international community to halt global warming and safeguard the human race from the scourges of changing climate. 

He dreams of establishing a merit-based society and wishes to stay with the global mainstream.

His triumphant return to his motherland is a matter of time now. The whole nation waits to see it happen in no time.

He will contest from Bogura-6 constituency in the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election.