Dr. Zubaida Rahman, a physician and member of one of Bangladesh’s most prominent political families, is set to return to the country on May 5 after about 17 years in exile. Accompanying her mother-in-law, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the announcement has triggered a wave of online speculation about Zubaida’s potential entry into active politics.
Security arrangements are reportedly underway for their arrival, further fueling public interest as searches for her name spiked on social media and online platforms.
Dr. Zubaida Rahman, born on June 18, 1972, in Sylhet, is the wife of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
She comes from a distinguished family with deep-rooted ties to Bangladesh’s military and political history.
Her father, the late Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, served as Chief of Naval Staff and later as Minister in the General Ershad government. Her mother, Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu, also hails from an influential background.
Zubaida is the niece of General M. A. G. Osmani, the chief of Bangladesh Liberation Forces during the 1971 War of Independence.
A graduate of Dhaka Medical College, Zubaida pursued further studies at Imperial College London, where she earned her MSc.
She married Tarique Rahman on February 3, 1994, at a time when Begum Zia was serving as Prime Minister. The then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina attended the wedding reception.
In 1995, Dr. Zubaida joined the BCS health cadre.
Her career was disrupted in 2008 when she left for London alongside her husband, who had just been released from prison and forced to leave the country amid the military-backed 1/11 caretaker government.
Although initially on study leave, she could not return to service, and her government position was terminated in 2014.
Zubaida’s name is also linked to politico-legal affairs.
In 2007, the post 1/11 Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against her, her husband, and her mother, alleging accumulation of illegal wealth and concealing asset information. In 2022, the High Court declared her and Tarique Rahman fugitives. However, her three-year sentence in the corruption case was later suspended by the Supreme Court in October 2024.
Despite not holding any formal role in the BNP or contesting elections, Dr. Zubaida’s name has periodically surfaced in political circles. While she has largely remained out of the public eye, she has made occasional virtual appearances at BNP events alongside her husband.
With her imminent return, political analysts are closely watching whether Dr. Zubaida Rahman will break her silence and assume a more direct role in the evolving landscape of politics in Bangladesh.
The Zubaida-Tarique couple has one daughter, Zaima Rahman, who is a barrister in London. Zaima once represented her father at a function in Washington.