Dhaka (Bangladesh): Tarique Rahman has been appointed as the chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), days after the death of his mother and party chief, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, following a prolonged illness.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the BNP’s National Standing Committee held on Friday, where Rahman was unanimously chosen to fill the vacant post. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed the development to the media after the meeting.
In an official statement shared on social media, the BNP said the position of party chairman fell vacant after the passing of Khaleda Zia and, in accordance with the party constitution, the Standing Committee convened to decide on the matter. “At the meeting, Mr. Tarique Rahman was unanimously appointed to the vacant post and formally given responsibility as the Chairman of the BNP,” the party said.
Speaking at a meet-and-greet event on Saturday, Rahman said there was no justification for Bangladesh to return to the political situation that prevailed before the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024. “We don’t want to go back to pre-August 5 days. There’s no reason for us to do that,” he said.
Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25 after spending 17 years in self-exile in London. His appointment as chairman comes amid growing political activity ahead of national elections, in which the BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner after the Awami League was barred from contesting the February polls.
Khaleda Zia, a three-time prime minister and one of Bangladesh’s most influential political figures, died on December 30. Rahman, 60, has long been a key figure within the BNP. He was appointed Senior Joint Secretary General in 2002, became Senior Vice Chairman in 2009, and was named acting chairperson in 2018 when Zia was imprisoned.
With his formal elevation to the top post, Rahman is now being viewed as a leading contender for the prime minister’s position in the upcoming elections.
