Who is Tarique Rahman? The New Leader of Bangladesh's BNP Ahead of Elections

Tarique Rahman Takes Charge as BNP Chairman

Dhaka: On Saturday, Pranay Verma, the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, held a meeting with Tarique Rahman, the newly elected chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), just a day after his official election in preparation for the upcoming elections on February 12.

According to Sayrul Kabir Khan, a spokesperson for the BNP's media cell, the meeting lasted approximately 40 minutes and was described as a courtesy visit.

As the BNP positions itself as a leading force in Bangladeshi politics, it faces competition from its former ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, particularly in the absence of the Awami League, which was led by the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Awami League government was overthrown during a student-led uprising on August 5, 2024, and the interim government, headed by Muhammad Yunus, subsequently disbanded the party, preventing it from participating in the elections.

Since 2018, Rahman has been at the helm of the BNP as its acting chairman.

His formal election as party leader took place on Friday night, following the death of his mother, Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson, who passed away after a long illness.

Additionally, Imran Haider, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh, also met with Rahman just hours before his election as BNP Chairman.

After spending 17 years in self-imposed exile in London, Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25.