Tarique Rahman: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has raced towards a decisive victory in the national elections. Tarique Rahman, the BNP Chief, is expected to take oath for the position of Prime Minister of Bangladesh tomorrow.
Return Of Tarique Rahman Sparks Hope
The return of Tarique Rahman after 17 years in exile drew massive crowds in December 2025. In his political speeches before the elections, Rahman talked of an inclusive Bangladesh where Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians would share equal rights.
Minority Crisis In Spotlight
In December, a number of Hindus were killed by radical Islamists during the interim government’s rule of Muhammad Yunus after killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. According to the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities, more than 340 rape cases targeting women and young children happened in 2025. Several protests erupted in Dhaka and minority communities accused the Yunus government of its failure to protect their lives and rights.
India repeatedly raised concerns and Tarique Rahman’s warnings against violence of any kind positioned him as a potential stabilizer.
For India, Tarique Rahman represents a better choice over hard-line alternatives such as the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. It is expected that Rahman would try to mend ties with India. However, many in the Indian political circles believe that Tarique would follow the footsteps of Yunus against India and minorities.
The calls by Rahman of cross-party, cross-faith unity may have brought him votes of the minority communities but his ultimate test would be to ensure that Bangladesh stays free from attacks and atrocities on minorities, especially the Hindus in Bangladesh.
Post the election win, Tarique government would face radical elements, economies woes, high inflation and social unrest. Addressing the woes and challenges of the minorities and small businesses in Bangladesh would be an uphill task for BNP.
Ultimately, Tarique stands at a crossroads: architect of inclusive Bangladesh or another divisive leader?
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