Who is Tarique Rahman? All about Bangladesh’s new PM, who spent 17 years in London exile and his stance on India

Tarique Rahman, a senior figure of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was sworn in as prime minister on Tuesday, ushering in a significant political transition in Bangladesh after months of upheaval.

The 60-year-old leader—son of former premier Khaleda Zia and assassinated president Ziaur Rahman—assumes office following his party’s decisive victory in the parliamentary elections.

Jailed and then exiled in London, Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh in December last year and now his party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has won enough seats to secure a majority in the general election. The BNP chairman took oath as the Prime Minister, alongside newly elected Members of Parliament following Sheikh Hasina's ouster in 2024. Tarique Rahman has pledged to end entrenched corruption and put the country on a “new path”.


“Physically, I may have been out of the country but for all those years I was always connected to my people in Bangladesh,” he said. “As soon as the opportunity came to serve my people, I came back," Rahman had said.

Breaking with precedent, the oath-taking ceremony was staged at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban rather than the presidential residence, Bangabhaban. Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his 49-member council of ministers were sworn in before an audience of senior political leaders, diplomats, civil and military officials, and representatives from countries including China, India, and Pakistan.

Who is Tarique Rahman?

The 60-year-old Tarique Rehman is the figurehead of the influential Zia family in Bangladesh. His parents, Ziaur Rahman and Khalida Zia, previously served as leaders of Bangladesh. Khalida Zia was Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, having led the country twice — from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006. Tarique Rahman’s political journey has been marked by allegations of nepotism and corruption from his opponents, along with years spent in exile and the trauma of his father’s assassination during his teenage years.

Tarique Rahman's views on India ties?

Recently, Tarique Rahman made his stance clear on his future ties with India, saying that the "interests" of Bangladesh would be the basis of his foreign policy with India, reports India Today. "The interests of Bangladesh and its people will determine our foreign policy," he said.

For India, the BNP has generally been seen as a comparatively more liberal and democratic alternative to the Jamaat, despite a history of strained relations. With the so-called “golden period” of India-Bangladesh ties under Hasina now over, New Delhi has already begun reaching out to the BNP.

One of the biggest geopolitical challenges facing the new government of Bangladesh will be rebuilding relations with its neighbour India. Tarique Rahman admitted that there were “issues” in ties with India and said he would seek a relationship based on “mutual respect” and “mutual understanding.”

Asked whether India and Bangladesh could rebuild their friendship while New Delhi continued to provide safe haven to Hasina and hundreds of her party members, Rahman was guarded in his response. “That depends,” he said. “It has to be on them too.”

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From exile to legal redemption

According to the Guardian, Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 during an anti-corruption campaign launched by a military-backed caretaker government, facing charges he has consistently denied. In 2008, he was allowed to travel to London for medical treatment, reportedly after suffering severe mistreatment in jail that left him needing a wheelchair to board the plane. Tarique Rahman left Bangladesh in 2008 at a time when multiple corruption and criminal cases were pending against him, including the 2004 grenade attack on a rally addressed by then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina.

When Sheikh Hasina was in power in Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman remained in London. He lived in the suburb of Kingston in London with his wife and daughter. During Hasina’s subsequent 15-year tenure, he was convicted in multiple terrorism and corruption cases, which he claims were politically motivated attempts to prevent his return to Bangladesh. In 2024, following Hasina’s fall from power, the courts overturned those convictions, clearing the way for his return home.

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Tarique Rahman's political journey

Tarique Rahman first became active within the BNP in 2001, when he was in his mid-30s. In 2002, Tarique Rahman made his first major move into frontline politics when he was elevated to a senior position in the party founded by his parents. The opposition at the time labelled his promotion as blatant nepotism.

Over the years, Tarique Rahman has faced repeated allegations of leveraging his influence for personal gain, claims he has consistently denied. His supporters argue that he was targeted and turned into a political scapegoat by rivals.

Despite spending years abroad, he remained actively involved in shaping the BNP’s strategy and policies, serving as the party’s acting chairman after his mother was jailed in 2018. He finally returned to Bangladesh on 25 December 2025, and five days later, his mother died.



(With TOI inputs)