Tarique Rahman, after 17 years in London exile, has emerged as Bangladesh’s pivotal new leader, steering his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a commanding 209 seats out of 297 in the 13th parliamentary elections- marking a stunning return to power after two decades. This decisive win, amid a 59.44 per cent voter turnout, sidelined Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League (barred from contesting) and elevated right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami to 68 seats, signalling a sharp pivot from Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule that crumbled in August 2024 student protests. Tarique Rahman’s soft-spoken campaign of reconciliation propelled BNP’s resurgence, positioning him as the likely next prime minister in a nation craving stability.
