Bangladesh’s ‘Dark Prince’ Tarique Rahman Returns to Power After 17 Years
After Sheikh Hasina’s exit, the BNP won Bangladesh’s 2026 elections, and Tarique Rahman is set to become Prime Minister amid concerns over India ties and border security.
In August 2024, Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India after violent student protests. After her exit, Muhammad Yunus took charge as Chief Adviser of the interim government. During his time in power, there were several reports of violence against the minority Hindu community by extremist groups, and relations between India and Bangladesh became tense. Many in India were waiting for fresh elections so that a properly elected government could take charge.
After 18 months, Bangladesh finally held general elections on 12 February 2026 for 299 seats, with 150 needed for a majority. Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League, was banned from contesting. The main contest was between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami. The BNP-led alliance won 212 seats, while the Jamaat-led alliance secured 77 seats.
With this victory, BNP leader Tarique Rahman will become the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and is often called the “Dark Prince” of Bangladesh politics. During the BNP government from 2001 to 2006, critics described him as the real power behind the scenes.
In 2007, Tarique Rahman was arrested and jailed for 17 months on several charges. He was later accused in cases including money laundering and an alleged plot to assassinate Sheikh Hasina. After Hasina returned to power, Rahman went into exile in London, where he lived for nearly 17 years and continued to lead the BNP from abroad. He returned to Bangladesh in December 2025 as his mother’s health worsened. Khaleda Zia passed away on 30 December 2025.
Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony will take place on 17 February in Dhaka. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him and the BNP on their victory. However, PM Modi will not attend the ceremony because French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting India at the same time. Instead, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent India.
One important concern for India is that Jamaat-e-Islami, which is seen as a hardline party, won many seats in western Bangladesh near the India–Bangladesh border. Experts believe this could affect border security and have an impact on nearby Indian states like West Bengal.
As Bangladesh begins a new political chapter under Tarique Rahman, attention will now be on how he manages relations with India and handles internal challenges in the country.
