College Dropout To Bangladesh PM: Tarique Rahman, 60, was sworn in as the 11th Prime Minister of Bangladesh on February 17. He is the chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which won the general elections. Rahman, son of the former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and assassinated President Ziaur Rahman, took the office intending to revive the garment sector after the prolonged turmoil in the country. He is determined to restore political stability and rebuild investor confidence once again in the country.
Tarique Rahman: Academic Background
Tareque Rahman completed his HSC from Adamjee Cantonment College and SSC from Dhaka Residential Model College with flying colors. After completing his schooling, he took admission in Dhaka University under the International Relations curriculum. With a political atmosphere at home and an inclination towards business, he left his college in the second year. He went into the textiles and shipping business afterwards.
Tarique Rahman: Early Life
Tarique Rahman was born on November 20, 1965, in Dacca, East Pakistan, modern-day Dhaka, Bangladesh. His father, Ziaur Rahman, was a Pakistani military officer, while his mother, Khaleda Zia, was the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh. He belongs to a notable Bengali Muslim family of Mandals from Bongura District.
Tarique Rahman: Political Career
Tarique Rahman entered politics in the early 2000s, serving as Senior Joint Secretary General of the BNP. He soon became an influential member who made major decisions. After the BNP-led alliance won the 2001 general election, he got political validation.
However, after the political changeover in 2007-08, he faced many allegations and court cases over corruption and other significant charges. He was arrested in 2017, but a year later, he was allowed to travel to London for urgent medical treatment. For 17 years, he lived in self-imposed exile in London. He returned to Bangladesh in 2025 following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024 and courts decision of overturning his convictions.