Tarique Rahman has assumed office as the chairman of BNP. At a meeting of the party’s Standing Committee held at its Gulshan office, Tarique was formally and unanimously appointed as the BNP chairman on Friday night.
He has taken over the responsibilities of chairman in accordance with the party’s constitution. This position had fallen vacant following the death of the then BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia on 30 December last year.
During Friday’s meeting, members of the party’s highest policy-making forum, the Standing Committee had advised Tarique to assume the role of BNP chairman in full capacity.
On 3 January, election officials had declared valid the nomination papers of Tarique Rahman for Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies, clearing the way for his participation in the 13th parliamentary election slated for 12 February.
A day later, during an exchange of views with journalists in Sylhet on 4 January, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Tarique would be elected BNP chairman within a day or two.
Tarique was appointed as the BNP’s acting chairman in 2018 after his mother and former prime minister Khaleda Zia was imprisoned during the Awami League regime.
Trip to Northern region cancelled
At the request of the Election Commission, his programme to travel to the northern region on 11 January has been postponed. This decision was also taken at Friday’s meeting.
Tarique was scheduled to undertake a four-day tour of the northern region. The Election Commission had advised against touring at this moment, as such a trip before the start of electoral campaigning could potentially violate the code of conduct.
The BNP chairman is set to formally start campaigning in favour of the sheaf of paddy on 22 January in Sylhet, with a visit to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R).
‘We have a plan’
Tarique, the then BNP acting chairman, returned home on 25 December last year, after more than 17 years in exile, calling for peace, unity and democratic restoration at a massive party rally amid growing public anxiety over violence and instability.
Addressing hundreds of thousands of supporters at a BNP-organised reception on the July 36 Expressway at Purbachal’s 300-feet road, Tarique urged his followers to remain calm in the face of provocation and warned of conspiracies aimed at destabilising the country.
At one stage of his speech, he repeated three times, “We want peace in our country.”
His return, coming a year and a half after the fall of Awami League government in a mass uprising, has been widely seen as a pivotal moment in the country’s volatile political transition ahead of the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for 12 February.
Tarique gets Modi’s condolence letter
In less than a week after Tarique’s return, his mother and the then party chairperson Khaleda Zia passed away on 30 December while undergoing treatment in Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital.
After Khaleda Zia’s death, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar handed over a personal letter from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tarique Rahman, expressing condolences over the death of his mother Khaleda Zia.
Following his arrival on 31 December, the Indian foreign minister met Tarique at the National Parliament complex, where he conveyed deep sympathy on behalf of the Indian government and people.
Sources said India also expressed the view that Khaleda Zia’s ideals and values would continue to guide bilateral relations between the two countries in the future.
Tough road ahead
Political analysts say Tarique Rahman’s task goes beyond managing a large political organisation.
He must also re-establish BNP as a credible national political force. Without a clear assessment of the party’s past experiences, mistakes and structural limitations, they argue that goal will be difficult to achieve.
Tarique’s return to Bangladesh and his decision to lead the party directly have boosted confidence among activists.
In a recent Facebook post following his mother’s death, Tarique said he intends to carry forward Khaleda Zia’s unfinished mission. Analysts say that transforming this emotional pledge into a concrete political roadmap will be key to strengthening his leadership credentials.
Overall, analysts agree that the list of challenges facing Tarique is long. Internal party reform, a firm stance against corruption and violence, a credible foreign policy, and a unifying national message will all be critical.
Success on these fronts would, they argue, allow Tarique to establish himself not only as the leader of BNP but also as a broader national political figure at a time of transition in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
On 28 December, the Election Commission (EC) approved necessary documents to include BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman in the voter list.
