Dhaka, Dec 25 — The return of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman after 17 years away has altered the political landscape ahead of February’s national elections, with Rahman emerging as a leading contender for the prime minister’s post.
Speaking to party supporters in Dhaka on Thursday, Rahman framed his comeback as part of a broader struggle to restore democratic rights, invoking Bangladesh’s history of political resistance and mass movements.
“Our loving motherland was achieved through the blood of lakhs of martyrs in the 1971 Liberation War,” Rahman said, according to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.
He recalled the Sepoy-People’s Revolution of Nov. 7, 1975, the 1990 anti-autocracy movement and the Aug. 5, 2024, uprising that led to the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government.
“In 2024, the students and masses from all walks of life protected the independence and sovereignty of this country on that day,” he said.
Rahman said Bangladeshis now want to reclaim their right to vote and to speak freely. “The people want to regain their democratic rights,” he told the crowd.
His address came at a time of deep political uncertainty, with unrest flaring after the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who had played a key role in last year’s protests.
The BNP’s path to power has been cleared by the interim government’s decision to bar Hasina’s Awami League from contesting the election under the Anti-Terrorism Act. At the same time, Jamaat-e-Islami — once a BNP ally during its 2001–2006 tenure — has emerged as a major rival.
Rahman, the eldest son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, has taken over the party’s leadership as she battles serious health issues. Zia remains in intensive care at a private hospital in Dhaka.
Addressing supporters, Rahman outlined his ambition to govern through public backing rather than division.
“I have a plan for the people of my country,” he said. “To make it successful, I need the support of all the people of the country.”
With elections approaching and old alliances shifting, Rahman’s return has placed him at the center of Bangladesh’s next political chapter.
