By Rumana Jaman

DHAKA, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS) - With the slogan “Take leadership, give leadership,” BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has been instilling courage in the hearts of the party’s grassroots workers throughout the long 17 years of his life in exile. 

Even from thousands of miles away, through his firm and clear voice, he has awakened among the workers a sense of responsibility and enthusiasm for action. Through his indomitable leadership, he has consolidated the party. He has kept leaders and activists united. He has even been preparing himself, little by little, for running the government. 

Finally, after passing through a long ebb and flow, at this moment he has emerged as the leader of the democracy-loving people of the country.

Though this standard-bearer of indomitable Bangladeshi nationalism has long lived in exile in distant United Kingdom, he is now the central driving force of BNP in party decisions, strategic planning and political guidance. 

From top to central, district and upazila levels, Tarique Rahman has secured a place in the hearts of leaders and activists at all tiers of the party. In his political character, party workers and supporters find a reflection of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. 

Leaders and activists say that the main strength of a leader’s leadership lies in his sense of justice and mindset, in the grandeur of his ideals. Tarique Rahman is such a leader; who, even from afar, remained the closest.

Tarique Rahman has provided leadership in the struggle to free the country from the disgraceful autocratic rule that swept over it for long 17 years. In post–2024 mass-uprising Bangladesh, his farsighted leadership and guidance in maintaining stability have earned universal recognition irrespective of party lines. Therefore, Tarique Rahman has become inevitable as a worthy prime minister for future Bangladesh.

As the helmsman of people’s dreams and with various innovative plans to build the nation, this leader, famed as the “torchbearer” of democracy, will set foot in the country on December 25. 

His homecoming has created new expectations among BNP leaders, activists and supporters. They believe that Tarique Rahman’s return will reorganize the party anew after long political turmoil. At the same time, a new reality will be created in national politics. Under his leadership, democracy and civil rights will return to the country. A new chapter of political stability will begin.

Calling Tarique Rahman a “living history,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told BSS, “Our leader Tarique Rahman has kept BNP well-organized and united. Even while staying abroad, he has very successfully run the party on the right path with skill. With extraordinary organizational ability, he has virtually reached grassroots leaders very quickly, as a result of which BNP did not lose its direction or break even in the face of various crises and pressures. No one even thought of leaving BNP.”

Mirza Fakhrul said, “In this great mass uprising, Tarique Rahman had an extraordinary role. At that time he maintained constant communication with us. He gave timely directions. He guided grassroots leaders of the party on how to involve people and take the momentum of the movement to its peak. Through all these activities, it has been proven that he is a successful statesman.”

He said, “Tarique Rahman’s firm statements and indomitable leadership have further consolidated the party. As a highly successful leader, his competence and efficiency are now an ideal for BNP leaders and activists. With immense respect and love, BNP leaders and activists carry this ideal within themselves. We are very hopeful that when Tarique Rahman returns home on December 25, our politics will become more positive. An unprecedented unity will be created in the country.”

 During exile in the United Kingdom, severe hardship also descended upon Tarique Rahman’s personal life. The death of his younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko shattered him mentally. At the same time, BNP Chairperson and his mother Begum Khaleda Zia faced repeated imprisonment, illness and medical crises due to political vengeance. In such circumstances, even from afar, Tarique Rahman remained firmly focused on preserving the organization. Because he knew that the fascist ruling clique wanted to politically eliminate him. Therefore, instead of bringing himself forward and creating a personality-centric movement, he built a people-centric resistance. He made it clear, “Which path Bangladesh will take will be decided on the streets,” which party leaders say is proof of his patience and composed leadership.

Highlighting some qualities of Tarique Rahman’s leadership, BNP Standing Committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, “Tarique Rahman went into exile 17 years ago. He worked even while in exile. Critics and political opponents used to point fingers and say Tarique Rahman would never succeed. Yet brushing all that aside, Tarique Rahman took leadership at a time when Begum Khaleda Zia had been sent to jail in false cases. In that difficult time, Tarique Rahman took the helm of BNP.”

He added, “The path that Tarique Rahman followed was exactly like his father’s — farsighted thinking, seeing the future and extraordinary organizational ability; he inherited these from his father. The first cabinet his father formed was a ‘galaxy of intellectuals,’ meaning he formed the cabinet with the country’s brightest minds. Tarique Rahman is also keeping in touch with the nation’s intellectuals. The maturity that we have seen in him while working closely with our leader in movements and struggles — this nation, InshaAllah, will go far under his leadership.”

From the one–eleven of 2007–2008 to August 2024, the haze that had enveloped Bangladesh’s politics was pierced by Tarique Rahman. His physical presence was confined to distant London. Yet on Bangladesh’s rural paths, streets, towns, cities, metropolises, neighborhoods and village tea stalls; on the walls of college and university campuses; on social media timelines; and wherever Bangladeshis live across the world, he was active everywhere like a catalyst. As if an indomitable leader stood as the shield of democracy and the lighthouse of future possibilities. That is why even today millions of youths weave dreams of a new Bangladesh around him.

The dynamic presence of this leader, hailed as the bearer of democracy in Bangladeshi nationalism, was not merely a reflection of his personal ambition. Rather, it was a political phenomenon where leadership, even in physical absence, transcended the historical stage of unfolding events. After going abroad for treatment in 2008, many thought his political life had ended. But from that distant land, he built a complete infrastructure of decentralization and self-defensive strategy within the party. He shifted party decisions from central control and spread them to the grassroots. Reorganization of the party, new strategies in programmes, strong positioning in the international arena — in everything his planning is evident.

Following the footsteps of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, sitting in distant United Kingdom, Tarique Rahman built a silent advisory network at the field level. He created small cell-based work plans in such a way that the state machinery of the fascist regime could not easily bring them under surveillance. His recent video messages and speeches have also resonated with the public, injecting new momentum into BNP politics.

Mentioning that Tarique Rahman created a new trend in Bangladesh politics, BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said, “Twenty-five years ago, when BNP was in government, I observed that Tarique Rahman did not confine politics to sitting at home; he went to the grassroots and built connections with the people. Even while staying in distant London, he has virtually connected with leaders and activists of remote regions of the country, listening to their joys and sorrows. For the last 17 years, despite various political crises, he has kept leaders and activists united. It must be said that attempts have been made repeatedly to destroy BNP, but this party has reawakened under the ideals of Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia. Most recently, BNP has bounced back under Tarique Rahman’s leadership. The politics of change that he began two decades ago has now been established.”

He said, “After martyred President Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman took up the BNP flag. Under his long leadership, the people of Bangladesh united to overthrow the autocratic government, culminating in students and masses jointly steering Bangladesh into a new journey on August 5 last year. The student–people mass uprising took place on the core mantra of Bangladeshi nationalism.”

Moyeen Khan said, “Following the ideals of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and the uncompromising politics of Begum Khaleda Zia, and under the guidance of Tarique Zia, we will once again restore democracy in Bangladesh.”

 Party’s Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said, “During Sheikh Hasina’s fascist rule, BNP suffered ruthless injustice and oppression. Out of vengeance, countless cases were filed against party leaders and activists; they faced jail, killings and enforced disappearances. There were even conspiracies several times to split BNP. But due to Tarique Rahman’s prudent leadership, no conspiracy succeeded. Through his actions, our leader has established himself as a national hero. He is now a source of inspiration for countless BNP leaders and activists.”

He said, “The patience, hard work, tolerance and timely decisions of national hero Tarique Rahman have taken BNP to the pinnacle of political arena. Judging impartially, it appears that no other contemporary politician is as popular as he is. I believe that in the future, as the helmsman of nationalist politics, he will lead Bangladesh in the twenty-first century toward its cherished destination.”

BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said, “Following the footprints of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and the path shown by Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman runs the party based on collective opinions. Over the past few years, to destroy BNP, countless leaders and activists including Khaleda Zia were sentenced in baseless cases, subjected to enforced disappearances and killings, thousands of cases were filed against them. Their homes and businesses were destroyed. But due to Tarique Rahman’s correct leadership, despite conspiracies, BNP is now organizationally strong — the most popular political party in the country. Not only that; in the latest student–people uprising, Tarique Rahman was one of the main architects behind the scenes, holding talks with various political parties and keeping everyone united. Like Ziaur Rahman in ’71 and Begum Khaleda Zia in ’90, in 2024 the people have placed Tarique Rahman in their hearts as a people’s hero.”

Calling Tarique Rahman an inevitable symbol of Bangladesh’s democratic movement, party’s Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, “Through his merit, competence, labour and leadership, Tarique Rahman has established himself at the highest leadership of Bangladesh. Though he is abroad, he remains politically active. The times of conspiracy-laden one–eleven, assassination plots, repression and long London exile were not happy for him. Yet he overcame everything with patience. His leadership from abroad using digital platforms, the 31-point reform outline for the country, and his successful leadership in the recent July–August mass movement proved that he is one of the principal architects of Bangladesh’s democratic future. Tarique Rahman is not only BNP’s leader; he is a symbol of restoring democracy in the country. The people of the country trust his leadership.”

Calling Tarique Rahman the soul of BNP’s grassroots leaders and activists, the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed said, “When Tarique Rahman went to London for treatment from Bangladesh, he was seriously ill. On top of that, the government of Moinuddin-Fakhruddin, born of Sheikh Hasina’s movement, bore the marks of brutal repression. After he recovered somewhat, our leader kept in touch with everyone in the party; he talked to them. He was always aware of party affairs and supervised whether party programmes and activities were being carried out properly. As a result, each of our programmes became successful. Our leaders and activists drew inspiration from this in movements and struggles. Thus, emboldened with indomitable strength, they overcame fear of all kinds of oppression, repression, enforced disappearances and killings and courageously carried out the programmes.”

Highlighting the immense qualities of Tarique Rahman’s leadership, Rizvi Ahmed said, “Leaders and activists have immense trust in his capable leadership. At this moment, the mass people of the country think that after Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman is the most suitable leader. He has led the country from distant London in all crises. Even from afar, he remained closest to party leaders and activists.”

This senior joint secretary general of BNP said, “The greatest skill of Tarique Rahman’s leadership was revealed when he was able to bring party leaders, activists and ordinary people onto the streets against fascism. During that movement, he maintained constant communication with leaders and activists from grassroots to national level. He gave timely directions. Not only that, demonstrating immense leadership qualities, Tarique Rahman constantly monitored the conveniences and difficulties of leaders and activists and extended a helping hand in danger. As a result, workers felt that their leader was right beside them. Though the acting chairman of the party was far away, a sense of closeness was created.”

“Though he stayed away from his own country for years, Tarique Rahman believed that leadership is not established only through physical presence, but also through apparent absence — where workers take responsibility on their own shoulders and people do not search for a leader but themselves become leaders in the sequence of events,” he said. 

The expanded form of this belief was cultural resistance. Instead of violence, he built a kind of ‘cultural uprising’ in mass movements through songs, poems, theatre, memes and short videos. These strategies gradually became popular among the youth of the country, and the democratic movement took the shape of a peaceful yet intense protest, which culminated in the mass uprising of twenty-four,” he said.

Stating that Tarique Rahman has kept the entire people of Bangladesh united, BNP Joint Secretary General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said, “Though our acting chairman Tarique Rahman has spent a life in exile, he has led the party with a firm hand. Through his competence, he has reached a place of trust and confidence among the people. We are very hopeful that in the coming days the party will move further ahead under his leadership.”

He said, “For the last 17 years, he has been most connected with grassroots leaders and activists of the party. He has exchanged views with leaders at every ward, village and union across the country. In the most critical moments of the country, he united people in the anti-fascist movement and reached the place of trust of all. To intensify field movements on various issues, he brought all political parties under one umbrella. Even from afar, he inspired people to stand against one-person fascist rule in the country.”

Mentioning that ordinary people have gladly accepted the 31-point outline given by Tarique Rahman for nation-building, Anee said, “Our leader first presented new formulas for building the country and farsighted plans before the people. Once Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman went to ordinary people with 19 points, through which he established himself as a leader of the masses. From there BNP came to be called a party of the masses. In that continuity, Tarique Rahman is also walking on the path shown by his father and mother.”

He added, “Tarique Rahman has not only united BNP, he has also led in uniting the entire people of the country. In that sense, he has become a symbol of Bangladesh’s unity. The common people of the country are counting the days waiting for him. Returning home on December 25, he will take part in the next election. InshaAllah, elected by the people’s votes, he will lead a democratic Bangladesh.”

BNP Central Committee Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said, “It is due to the capable leadership of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman that the people of the country achieved success in the mass movement of ’24. He is extremely prudent and takes decisions with a cool head. That is why he was able to unite all political parties in one row. Trusting his farsighted and organizational skills, the people united and joined the movement to oust fascism.”

Tuku said, “During the past autocratic regime, BNP suffered ruthless oppression and repression. Leaders and activists became victims of enforced disappearances and killings. Countless workers were martyred in the movement to restore democracy in the country. Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia was in prison for six years. In this extreme crisis of the party, considering everything, he firmly took the helm of the party. From center to grassroots, he kept everyone united and consolidated. He succeeded in all areas including establishing the party’s organizational structure on a solid foundation.”

Stating that Tarique Rahman is the most acceptable leadership in Bangladesh at this moment, he said, “National hero Tarique Rahman will run the country in future according to the party-declared 31 points; that is what the people expect. We believe he will efficiently run the country for the welfare of the nation and the people. Under Tarique Rahman’s leadership, future Bangladesh will be of democracy and equality.”