Tarique Rahman

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Tarique Rahman
তারেক রহমান
Tarique Rahman in november 2021.jpg
Rahman in 2021
Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 December 2025
Acting: 8 February 2018 – 30 December 2025 [1]
Preceded by Khaleda Zia
Personal details
Born (1965-11-20) 20 November 1965 (age 60) [2]
Dhaka, East Pakistan, Pakistan
Citizenship Bangladesh [3]
Party Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Spouse
​
(m. 1994)​
Relations
Children Zaima Rahman (daughter)
Parents
RelativesSee Majumder–Zia family
ResidenceHouse No.196, Gulshan Avenue
Alma mater BAF Shaheen College Dhaka
St. Joseph Higher Secondary School
Signature Tarique Rahman signature.svg
Website www.tariquerahman.info
NicknamePinu [4]

Tarique Rahman [a] (born 20 November 1965), better known natively as Tarique Zia, [b] is a Bangladeshi politician and the chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party since 2025. He previously held the position of acting chairman from February 2018 until December 2025, when he formally succeeded his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, following her death. [5] [6] He is the eldest son of Ziaur Rahman, the 7th President of Bangladesh.

Contents

Born in 1965, Rahman got involved in politics from a young age and rose to prominence in the BNP during his mother's tenure as prime minister in the early 2000s. [7] After the Awami League's landslide victory in the 2008 general election, [8] he went into self-imposed exile in London, citing concerns for his safety and claiming that he was being persecuted by the authorities. [9] [10] He was convicted by the courts during the Sheikh Hasina government on multiple charges, including corruption, bribery, money laundering, illegal acquisition of wealth, and grenade attacks. [11] [12] A total of 84 cases were filed against him after 2007. [13] BNP claims that these are politically motivated false charges. [14] [15] Later in 2024, after the fall of the Awami League government, the court acquitted him of all charges, and his sentence was quashed. [16] [17] He returned to Bangladesh on 25 December 2025. [18] [19]

Rahman is often described as the de facto leader of the opposition in Bangladesh. [20] [21] He has drawn significant controversy in national politics, facing a myriad of accusations of corruption, bribery, and money-laundering charges and being linked to several notable controversies, including the use of Hawa Bhaban as a parallel power centre. [22] [23] [24] [25]

Early life and education

Tarique Rahman was born on 20 November 1965 in Combined Military Hospital at Dacca Cantonment of East Pakistan, Pakistan (now in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh). [26] [27] He belonged to a notable Bengali Muslim political family of Mandals hailing from Bagbari in Gabtali, Bogra. His father, Ziaur Rahman, was a Pakistan Army officer who would later become a Bir Uttom recipient and the president of Bangladesh, and his mother, Khaleda Zia, was a homemaker who would later become the prime minister of Bangladesh. His younger brother, Arafat Rahman, was born in 1969. Involved in cricket organising, he would die from cardiac arrest in 2015.

Rahman started his education at BAF Shaheen College Dhaka. [27] He later studied at St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Dhaka. [28] [29] From there, he completed his secondary and higher secondary education and was admitted to the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka in 1984. However, during his second year of graduation, he ended his university career and started a business in the textile industry and shipping sector. [30] [31]

Early political career

Rahman in a political conference of the BNP, 2005 Tarique Rahman of BNP.jpg
Rahman in a political conference of the BNP, 2005

Rahman started his political career as a primary member of the upazila branch of the BNP Gabtali, Bogra, in 1988. [32] During that period, he proactively organized the party units of Bogra and changed the inherent cultures to make politics more production and development oriented. [33]

Rahman was a member of the BNP's National Campaign Strategy Committee and was also responsible for coordinating the national election campaigns in five constituencies in which his mother, Khaleda Zia, was running. [33] Rahman actively assembled support for the party during the 1991 national election, when the transition was taking place from military government to the elected government.

After the BNP's success in the 1991 election and the formation of the new government, he was offered a senior role in the party as recognition of his contributions. However, he was reluctant to take up a higher position, preferring to have enough time to strengthen the party at the grassroots level. For many years, he remained active in developing the Bogra units of the BNP. During the 1996 national election, the party grassroots and the senior leadership requested Rahman to contest a constituency from Bogra, but he declined the offer with a view to furthering his work at the grassroots levels and coordinating the election campaigns for his mother. [34]

During the rule of the Awami League from 1996 to 2001, Rahman mobilized movements against the actions of the government. He actively campaigned to address issues of economic deprivation and started championing a countrywide consultation program aimed at publicizing the plight of the people living in rural areas. In the 2001 national election, the BNP won a landslide victory with a two-thirds majority. [35]

During the BNP's tenure between 2001 and 2006, the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack occurred, which targeted a public rally organized by the then-opposition party Awami League. The attack targeted the entire top leadership of the Awami League, including the leader of the opposition, Sheikh Hasina, and killed 24 Awami League leaders and workers, including Ivy Rahman, the president of Mohila Awami League and the wife of former Bangladeshi president Zillur Rahman. The attack also injured hundreds of Awami League members. Rahman was the prime suspect in the incident, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Bangladesh court. [36] [37] In 2024, he was acquitted after the whole trial's proceedings were judged to be "illegal". [38]

Exile to London (2008–2025)

Tarique giving speech in a BNP program, 2005. Tarique in Council.jpg
Tarique giving speech in a BNP program, 2005.

Following the release of his mother, Khaleda, on 11 September 2008, he flew to London for medical treatment at Wellington Hospital, an independent private hospital in St. John's Wood. The 1/11 caretaker government, backed by the army, confirmed that he had given a written promise not to indulge in any future politics and was thus allowed to go abroad. [39]

Senior Vice Chairman of the BNP

On 8 December 2009, Rahman was elected as the Senior Vice Chairman of the BNP at its 5th National Council held in Dhaka. [40] [41] A recorded speech by him was broadcast to the public at the council. In the speech, he described his arrest and torture during his detention by the 1/11 government that came to power in January 2007. He claimed that a "conspiracy" was hatched to kill him through torture under the "guise of a judicial system". Rahman described his physical condition and said that he needed more time to complete his treatment. [42]

Zia said her son would take part in active politics upon his return from abroad after completing treatment. She addressed a few public meetings on her way to Bogra and alleged that the then-present government was trying to harass her son so that he could not return to the country. She said:

Tareque worked for the development of the country, but a lot of cases were filed only to destroy him as a part of national as well as international conspiracies... On March 7, 2007, he was picked up in a car right in front of me. But after the custody my son had to be sent abroad in a stretcher for treatment... Doctors have said his recovery will take more time... [43]

On 4 January 2014, in a video message posted on YouTube, [44] Rahman called for a boycott of the next day's national election in Bangladesh. [45]

In 2015, Rahman registered a private firm by the name of White and Blue Consultants Limited, which is a PR and communications firm. The documentation of incorporation filed with the UK Companies House shows that Tarique listed his nationality as British. However, in 2016, he amended the paperwork and listed his nationality as Bangladeshi. [46] However, this error has been used by many as evidence to support claims of state officials, including Md. Shahriar Alam that he acquired British citizenship. [47] [48] Rahman denied this claim and served a legal notice to Md. Shahriar Alam, demanding an apology for his remarks about him allegedly having British citizenship. [47]

Acting Chairman of the BNP (2018–2025)

Tarique Rahman and Muhammad Yunus meeting in London, 2025. Tarique Rahman and Prof. Dr. Yunus meeting in London 2.jpg
Tarique Rahman and Muhammad Yunus meeting in London, 2025.

In November 2018, Rahman conducted the interview process through Skype for the nomination seekers of BNP at the 2018 national election. [49] [50]

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina, he pledged to return to Bangladesh after the cases against him were lifted. [51] He also pledged to support the reform process of the interim government. [52]

On 13 June 2025, a private meeting was held between Rahman and the chief adviser of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, who was on a visit to the United Kingdom. [53] [54] After the meeting, the representatives of both sides issued a joint statement. [55] The meeting was cited as a "turning point" by the BNP sources. [56] [57]

Return to Bangladesh (2025–present)

On 25 December 2025, Rahman, along with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman, returned to Bangladesh, ending his exile since 2008. [58] [59] [60] Five days later, Rahman's mother, Khaleda Zia, died after prolonged illness. He then assumed the chairmanship of the BNP. He will lead the party's 2026 election campaign, and will seek to represent Bogra-6 and Dhaka-17 in the Jatiya Sangsad. [61]

Rahman became the subject of a host of controversies during Zia's third term and the Awami League government of Sheikh Hasina. [62] [63] Described as "politically motivated" attacks by the BNP, the courts in Dhaka have cleared him of all charges after July Revolution. [64]

Hawa Bhaban controversy

The allegations consist of Rahman and his associates allegedly accepting bribes from various businessmen and political rivals through Hawa Bhaban, the office of the chairman of the BNP and an alleged parallel power centre during Zia's tenure, laundering the money abroad. [65] [66] [67] Based on these allegations, the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh (ACC) began an investigation in 2007, and he was also investigated by the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) in the United States and the courts in Singapore. They later stated that evidence of money laundering was found against Rahman. [68] [65] [69] [70]

In 2007, the Bangladeshi government launched an investigation against Rahman on charges of bribery and money laundering. [71] [68] [66] [72] [73] The investigation led to allegations that he laundered about $20 million abroad. [68] [74] In 2010, a case was filed domestically based on the allegations. [75] On 20 March 2025, the court acquitted him in this case. [76] [77]

Money laundering case

On 7 June 2007, a money laundering case was submitted against Rahman and his personal friend and business partner, Giasuddin Al Mamun, by the Bangladesh Anti Corruption Commission at a court in Dhaka. [78] [79] In a verdict given on 18 November 2013 by the court, Rahman was acquitted in the case involving BDT 20.41 crore. After delivering the verdict, the trial court judge left the country. [80] Bangladesh Anti Corruption Commission member Mohammed Shahabuddin rejected the verdict, saying: [81]

"Tarique and Mamun had equal footing in the crime. So, legally there was no scope to differentiate."

BNP officials and leaders have claimed that this judgement is proof of his innocence, that he had no involvement with corruption, and that all the cases against Rahman were "politically motivated". [82]

On 21 July 2016, Rahman was found guilty by the Bangladesh High Court, overturning a lower court verdict that acquitted him earlier. He was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and fined Tk 20 crore by the Court. [83] [84] [85] In its observation of the verdict, the High Court commented: [86]

"Corruption practices and political influence are enabling individuals or groups to commit financial crimes like money laundering. It is time to stop such crimes under the political umbrella for the welfare and development of the country."

Mamun's wider business dealings, closely associated with Rahman's political influence, led to further legal scrutiny. For example, in 2022, the ACC filed a graft case against Mamun's company, One Spinning Mills Limited, and its directors, for alleged loan embezzlement from Sonali Bank. [87]

On 5 December 2024, Rahman and Mamun were acquitted by the high court of Bangladesh. [88] [89]

Illegal wealth acquisition

The ACC filed a case against Rahman, his wife Zubaida, and Zubaida's mother, Syeda Iqbal Banu, in 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government on allegations that Rahman and his wife had illegal assets worth more than 48 million taka beyond their declared income. [90]

On 31 March 2009, the investigating officer filed a chargesheet against the three in court. However, the trial against Zubaida's mother was later dismissed. The court recorded the statements of 42 witnesses for the prosecution, including the complainant in the case. [91] [92]

A Dhaka court sentenced Rahman to nine years in prison and a fine of Tk 30 million, and his wife, Zubaida, to three years in prison and a fine of Tk 3.5 million. [93] At the same time, the court ordered the confiscation of Rahman's illegal assets worth about Tk 3.5 million in favor of the state. [94]

In October 2024, the interim government of Muhammad Yunus suspended the sentence of Rahman's wife for one year in a case filed on charges of acquiring wealth outside known sources of income, on the condition of surrender and appeal. On 28 May 2025, Rahman and his wife were acquitted of all charges after being found innocent in the case. [95]

The Zia Charitable Trust corruption controversy

The Zia Charitable Trust corruption case contains allegations filed against Rahman and his mother, among others. [96] The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case in 2008. [97] It was alleged that a foreign grant of about Tk 2.1 crore was given to the Zia Orphanage Trust in 2004, but it was used for personal purposes instead of being spent on the trust's work. [96] [98] This led to allegations of misuse of state resources.

The case named Rahman and his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, accusing them of personally embezzling foreign grant money. [99] Although Zia was directly accused in the case, Rahman's name was discussed in the case due to the political situation at the time and his political position. [100]

The trial of the case began in 2011. Following the investigation and judicial proceedings, on 8 February 2018, a special court in Dhaka sentenced Zia to 5 years in prison and Rahman and the other accused to 10 years in prison. [101] [102] The High Court later doubled Zia's jail term in that case. [103] [104] Since Rahman was in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom, he did not appear in court, and the verdict was delivered in his absence. The verdict caused a large impact on domestic politics in Bangladesh. Zia appealed to the High Court to suspend her sentence and was released on bail for some time. [105] Rahman, however, was issued an international arrest warrant. [106] [107] The BNP and its supporters have claimed that the case is politically motivated, while the Awami League has called it an important legal step. [108] [109] The verdict in the case has been the subject of disagreement among various political analysts and legal experts.

On 15 January 2025, Zia and Rahman, along with all the accused, were acquitted in the case. [110] [111]

2004 Dhaka grenade attack case

On 21 August 2004, a grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka killed 24 people and injured about 300, including then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina. [112] [113] [114] On 22 August, Motijheel Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Faruk Ahmed filed a case as the plaintiff. [115] Rahman was initially not named as an accused in the case. The Awami League condemned the BNP government's handling of the investigation. [116] [117] [118] The BNP denies any link to the attack. [119] [120]

When the reinvestigation of the case began during the caretaker government in 2007, the names of Mufti Abdul Hannan, leader of the banned organization Harkatul Jihad, and Abdus Salam Pintu, deputy minister of the then BNP government, came up.

When the Awami League came to power in 2009, a further investigation was carried out. [121] The investigation revealed the names of Rahman and other high-ranking BNP leaders. In 2011, Rahman was named as the alleged main conspirator in the supplementary charge sheet and was formally charged in the case. He was accused of being the mastermind of the attack by Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader; however, the accusation was denied by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. [122]

The trial officially began in 2012. After a long hearing, the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal announced its verdict in the 21 August grenade attack case on 10 October 2018. [115] The court identified Rahman as the main conspirator of the attack and sentenced him to life imprisonment in the verdict for the case. [11] [123] However, the verdict was given in his absence as he was abroad. He was shown as a 'fugitive' in the charge sheet. In observing the verdict in this case, the court said: [124] [125]

This attack, with the help of the state apparatus, was an attempt to make the Awami League leaderless.

On 22 November 2024, the High Court concluded a hearing on the appeals and death references of the grenade attack cases. [126] [127] On 1 December 2024, Rahman, Lutfozzaman Babar, and 47 others were acquitted by the court. [128] [129] [130] The High Court has recommended that the Home Ministry take the necessary measures to conduct a new investigation into the 21 August grenade attack case through appropriate and expert agencies to ensure justice. [131]

10-truck arms and ammunition haul

The 10-truck arms case began on 28 April 2004, when a large quantity of arms and ammunition was seized in 10 trucks in Chittagong. [132] [133] [134] Rahman was accused of being involved in the arms, and it was claimed that the arms were collected for use in gunfights during the BNP government. [135] [136] It was alleged that the arms were intended to be smuggled to banned armed groups in India. Rahman and other BNP leaders were investigated for their involvement in the case. [137] It was alleged that Tarique Rahman was involved in the arms smuggling scheme. [138] [137] [139] The BNP later filed a complaint, considering the case to be politically motivated. [140] [141] They claimed that the case was part of a political vendetta and Rahman was deliberately targeted. [140] [142] On the other hand, the Awami League government presented the case as a strong step against political crimes.

On 18 December 2024, the High Court acquitted four people in the case, including former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar and former Director General of NSI, retired Major General Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury. [143]

Sedition and other cases

In 2014, Rahman made a speech about Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at an event in London during a discussion organized by the BNP. He referred to Mujib as a "Razakar" [144] [145] [146] and "Pakbandhu" (friend of Pakistan), among other words. [147] [148] [144] [149] [150] [151] [152] [153] Following the speech, multiple legal notices [154] and sedition cases were filed throughout the country. [155] [156] [157] On 22 January 2014, the Awami League's Jessore district unit's then-organizing secretary, SM Afzal Hossain, filed a lawsuit, claiming that Rahman had committed sedition by making the comments about Mujib. [158] On 4 April 2017, the police handed in the charge sheet to the court. The court subsequently issued an arrest warrant in the case against Rahman. [158] On 10 March 2025, the District and Sessions Judge's Court Jessore acquitted Rahman and dismissed a sedition case filed in 2014. [158] In addiiton, on 28 February 2015, Advocate Omar Faruk, President of the Subornachar Upazila Awami League, filed a case against Rahman at the Noakhali Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court. [159] On 4 April 2017, the police filed the charge sheet to the court. The court subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Rahman in the matter. On 21 August 2024, the Noakhali Additional District and Sessions Judge Court acquitted him of sedition charges laid on April 4, 2017. [159] [160]

In another controversy, on 5 January 2015, Rahman delivered a live statement on the Ekushey TV channel. [161] Tejgaon Police Station filed a case claiming that Rahman, in collusion with others, was allegedly involved in publishing false and fabricated information, posing a threat to the sovereignty of the country, and "spreading hatred" against the government. [162] [163] On 6 September 2017, police handed in a chargesheet against them. [164] On 31 October 2024, The High Court scrapped the case. [162] [165]

Personal life

Rahman married Zubaida Rahman on 3 February 1994, [166] [167] a physician and the youngest daughter of Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, former Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy [168] [169] and the first cousin of Irene Khan, currently serving as the United Nations Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion. [170] Zubaida became a government physician in 1995 after passing the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) exam and fired by the Awami League government in September 2014 for being absent from work for six years. [168] Their only daughter, Zaima Rahman, is a barrister. [171]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Bengali: তারেক রহমান, romanized: Tārēk Rôhômān, pronounced [ˈtaːɾekˈɾɔɦoman]
  2. ↑ Bengali: তারেক জিয়া, romanized: Tārēk Jiẏā, pronounced [ˈtaːɾekˈd͡ʒija]

    Citations

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    2. ↑ "Tarique Rahman turns 60 amid no birthday celebrations". The Daily Observer . 20 November 2024. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024.
    3. ↑ "Tarique, Zaima included in voter list". unb.com.bd. United News of Bangladesh. 28 December 2025. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
    4. ↑ তারেক রহমানের ৬০তম জন্মদিন আজ. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 20 November 2024. Archived from the original on 20 November 2024.
    5. ↑ "Tarique Rahman acting chairman: BNP leader". The Daily Star . 8 February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023.
    6. ↑ "Who will lead the BNP at the next election?". Dhaka Tribune . 22 June 2022. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
    7. ↑ "Bangladesh holding 'sham' election: Exiled opposition leader Tarique Rahman". Al Jazeera. 4 January 2024. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
    8. ↑ Sengupta, Somini; Manik, Julfikar Ali (30 December 2008). "Secular Party Wins Landslide Victory in Bangladesh". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
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    10. ↑ "What Tarique Rahman's 'return' from political exile could mean for Bangladesh". India Today . 2 December 2024. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024.
    11. 1 2 "Hefty sentences for deadly 2004 attack in Bangladesh". Deutsche Welle. 10 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024.
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