DHAKA : It was the night of 12 February, 2026. Thousands of people kept an eye on the TV screens as the 13th national election results were being published. The more the night got deeper, the more the hearts of the people were beating. Whenever the result of a constituency was being declared by the officials of Election Commission (EC) centrally, one section of people were raging with happiness and joy but the other section were plunging into despair. But, one thing glitters surpassing all odds that is the beauty of democracy. The nation saw a free, fair election for what Bangladesh was waiting for almost 20 years. The people of Bangladesh had been dreaming of such competitive festive elections for long. Their dream finally came true in the second week of this month as they got a true elected prime minister, indeed.
Yes, it’s the Tarique Rahman, the Chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who actually has been the first elected premier by populist votes. Tarique Rahman charismatically led his party to get landslide victory with 211 seats in the parliamentary elections endorsed by the world, including European Union (EU) election observers’ team. EU observers called the polls fair and credible saying no instance of fraudulence or vote rigging was found.
The Bangladesh people really lost confidence in the electoral process as they saw three rigged elections orchestrated by the fallen Awami League, the party that was deposed from the power in a student-mass uprising that saw almost 1,400 people to be killed and 20, 000 to be injured. But, the nation this time rebounded in democratic norms that was lost by the voter less elections in 2014, night time elections in 2018 and dummy elections in 2024.
Tarique Rahman, son of Independence Proclaimer and slain President Ziaur Rahman and three-time Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, appears to be a true statesman through democratic elections. But the way of his being statesmanship was not a bed of roses. He struggled inhuman and went through a lot of sufferings even staying in exile. He struggled for democracy; he fought with a fascist government for returning the rights to freedom of expression to the people, freedom of the press, the rights to vote etc, resulting in 2024 July Uprising and thereafter a free, fair election in 2026.
Tarique Rahman was born on 20 November 1965, grew up in such a family atmosphere where the highest ethical standards were maintained and moral values practiced by his parents in their day-to-day lives that is still found in his daily life. He started his debut in the politics in 1988 by getting primary membership in Gabtali Upazila, the historic birthplace of his father Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, under Bogura district located in the northern Bangladesh. He became a member of the Bogura district BNP in 1993. He got opportunity to draw public opinion in favor of his party in 1991 parliamentary elections. In the capacity of National Campaign Strategy Committee member of the party, Tarique Rahman coordinated the election campaign of five constituencies his mother Khaleda Zia 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.
Tarique Rahman learned politics for the welfare of the people and the country during his early age as he was closely observed his mother’s generosity to the people and struggle for democracy against another autocrat Ershad rule. He inherited a good political norms and values from his parents and he also took over another responsibility of electioneering in 2001. Tarique Rahman proved again his leadership wisdom within the party as his strategy was a great hit in creating a nationwide wave in favor of the ‘paddy sheaf’ symbol. His party won the elections with a two-thirds majority. Following the victory, the BNP Standing Committee, the highest decision-making body, unanimously appointed him as the Senior Joint Secretary-General in 2002.
Thus, when he was emerging in politics, conspiracies were there to exterminate him forever. Then, the infamous army-backed illegitimate 1/11 caretaker government came. He was subjected to intrigues by Awami League and their associates at home and abroad. His estrangement from politics was sought by the 1/11 government through a series of utterly cruel, mischievous, and conspiracy acts. He was put to physical and mental torture by law enforcers and secret service agencies to demoralize him not to continue in politics. At one stage, he was imprisoned and tortured brutally in confinement for months together, disregarding the law of the land.
At one stage, he left the country with grave spinal injury for London to get medical treatment, choosing the path of staying in exile by force. But his indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to his people couldn’t stop him, rather stand still with head high, struggled for the emancipation of the people of the country, leading the nation online form the UK. Tarique Rahman was in constant touch with his fellow party workers to keep their spirits high and to continue to fight against the misrule of the Sheikh Hasina government as marked with anarchy, injustice, maladministration, corruption, curtailment of people’s right to vote, abrogation of fundamental rights, and the like. The fascist regime of Hasina filed seventeen fabricated cases in absentia against Tarique Rahman as a ploy to bar him from politics. He was the victim of political vengeance of the ousted fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina. Even his parents’ cantonment home was raged to the ground by Hasina in a bid to harass the Zia family. Despite political vengeance and vilifications against him, Tarique Rahman’s popularity saw an astonishing rise. He stands tall as the leader of the masses. He is the true inheritor of the legacy of his father. A natural politician, Tarique Rahman kept his party united, and its grassroots base continues to expand and solidify with mass support.
Despite living abroad, Tarique Rahman was nominated acting chairman of his party as not being the son of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia but with the quality of political wisdom and leadership eminence after her mother landed in jail in 2018 during Awami League misrule that is marked a another wrath of the deposed Sheikh Hasina on the Zia family.
While in exile, Tarique Rahman didn’t stop even for one day in struggle for realizing people’s rights. His fight for years and call to rise eventually awaken the nation as the people revolted against fascist Awami League rule, toppled Sheikh Hasina from the state power and forced her to flee the country, ending her almost 16 years autocratic rule on August 5, 2024, a new day for Bangladesh history.
Bangladesh became free again after 1971 Liberation War and the obstacles imposed on Tarique Rahman’s arrival to his beloved country were removed. Then the historic day, 25 December, 2025, came when the valiant son of the nation Tarique Rahman touched down Bangladesh soil, strolled barefoot, took a fistful of soil and felt Bangladesh with the inner part of his heart. Then, his vibrant voice waived in a mammoth crowd saying, “I have a plan for the people and for the country”.
But, when the whole nation was like triumphant getting him after almost 17 years, Bangladesh got another bad news as his mother passed away just five days after his arrival. Then, on 9 January, 2026, he became his party’s chairman as many analysts see his rise inevitable.
Tarique Rahman’s rise in politics didn’t come inherently rather it was obvious for him to be at the helm of the state with leadership quality he acquired by political farsightedness, insights, dedication and wisdom. He gained steady ground through the combination of hard work, skills, and patience in the hearts of millions. He affirms the promises to take the nation out of the morass of misrule, non-governance, oppression, coercion, subjugation and present the people with the rights they could not enjoy under a fascist regime for more than one and a half decades. His promises win people’s hearts resulting in bringing landslide victory for BNP in national polls. Today, Bangladesh has re-emerged as a democratic country and restarted its democratic course as Tarique Rahman has been sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
