The leader of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Tarique Rahman, has officially taken the oath of office as the 11th Prime Minister of the 173-million Muslim-majority South East Asian nation.
On Tuesday, Rahman became Bangladesh’s 11th Prime Minister following the BNP’s victory in last week’s historic general elections.
A total of 297 lawmakers from the BNP and its main political ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, also took their oaths on Tuesday, forming the 13th parliament of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Rahman in a ceremony held in front of the parliament building in the capital, Dhaka.
The elections marked a historic turning point in Bangladesh’s recent history, being the first since the 2024 student-led uprising that led to the removal of long-time ruler Sheikh Hasina.
The nationwide protests resulted in the collapse of the Awami League’s 15-year rule under Hasina.
An interim government had governed Bangladesh since August 8, 2024, three days after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India.
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The BNP declared a landslide victory in the general election, winning 209 of the 300 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, according to local media. Voter turnout exceeded 60 percent, significantly higher than the 42 percent recorded in the previous election.
Who is Tarique Rahman?
Tarique Rahman, 60, is the leader of the BNP and the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President General Ziaur Rahman.
Rahman had previously been living in the UK in self-imposed exile for 17 years before returning to Bangladesh in December 2025.
Born in 1967 in Dhaka, when the country was still known as East Pakistan, Rahman comes from a family deeply entrenched in Bangladeshi politics. His political career has been marked by both prominence and controversy.
Also known as Tarique Zia, Rahman began studying international relations at BAF Shaheen College in Dhaka during the 1980s. However, according to the Dhaka Tribune, he soon prioritised political activity over his academic pursuits.
Following the BNP-led four-party alliance’s victory in 2001, Rahman assumed an increasingly visible role within the government and the party. Critics accused him of consolidating significant influence within the BNP at an early stage in his political career.
Rahman’s parents
His father, former President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in 1981 when Tarique Rahman was still a teenager. Ziaur Rahman was killed by members of the Bangladesh Army.
Zakaria Polash, strategic coordinator of the Dhaka-based Communication and Research Foundation, said Rahman “has gathered considerable experience through his long political career.”
Polash added that Rahman’s premiership would test whether he could live up to the legacy of his mother, Khaleda Zia, and his father, Ziaur Rahman. He said it was “imperative” for Rahman to pursue a foreign policy similar to theirs and to “create a balance among international players.”
Various analysts have highlighted the challenges Rahman faces in building upon the political legacy of his mother, Khaleda Zia.
“Zia earned her political stature through resilience, sacrifice and a firm stance against authoritarianism,” said Sumaiya Rabeya, a political scientist at Tunku Abdul Rahman University.
Exile in London
A significant portion of Rahman’s political life was spent in exile in London, home to a large Bangladeshi Muslim diaspora.
Despite residing abroad, Rahman retained a central decision-making role within the BNP.
Rabeya argued that his continued leadership from thousands of miles away created a “visible leadership vacuum on the ground.”
Rahman left Bangladesh with his family in 2008 for medical treatment after being released from prison while facing multiple charges, including corruption.
He had been arrested on March 7, 2008, amid widespread civil unrest that led to the establishment of a military-backed caretaker government in January of that year.
Rahman’s return to Bangladesh at the end of 2025 marked a significant turning point against the backdrop of prolonged political instability.
Now in office, Rahman faces high expectations after pledging to build a Bangladesh where “terrorism, corruption and discrimination are eliminated.”
“We are taking office at a time when we have to start our journey through a fragile economy, ineffective constitutional institutions and a weak law and order situation left by a fascist regime. However, if the people’s strength is with us, no obstacle can stop us,” Rahman said in his first speech following the election.
“National unity is our strength; division is our weakness,” he added.
Sheikh Hasina’s overthrow
Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for 15 years, issued a statement from exile in India describing the elections as a “carefully planned farce” and calling for the cancellation of what she labelled a “voterless and unconstitutional election.”
Nationwide protests in 2024 led to Hasina’s removal from power. A UN report stated that around 1,400 people were killed during the unrest, including hundreds of students and children.
Hasina’s downfall culminated in her fleeing to India on August 5, 2024. Since then, she has remained at the centre of controversy, delivering defiant speeches from abroad and denying charges brought against her. Bangladeshi prosecutors have reportedly sought the death penalty over her alleged role in the 2024 protest killings.
