Tarique successfully earns leadership from his parents

Tarique Rahman on Tuesday became the first male Prime Minister in the country's 35 years of Parliamentary history and he has successfully upheld the legacy of his parents in accession to state power.

In the last 35 years since 1991 when Bangladesh entered the Parliamentary system amending the constitution from Presidential form, two female Prime Ministers - Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-held the post of the head of government as PM. Begum Khaleda Zia was Prime Minister for 10 years and Sheikh Hasina held the post of PM for about 22 years being elected as PM five times.

Tarique Rahman inherited the leadership from his illustrious parents enduring political repression and harassment and long wait in exile. 

His father Major General Ziaur Rahman was a valiant freedom fighter and Sector Commander in the country's 1971 War of Liberation. He was the Army Chief and elected President of Bangladesh. He was the founder of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He was assassinated by some officers in Chattogram on May 30, 1981.

His mother Begum Khaleda Zia was the first female Prime Minister. She was elected PM for three times. She was the Chairperson of BNP till her death on December 30, 2025.

Tarique Rahman had to face political cases and challenges and he had to stay in exile in London for 17 years before he returned home on December 25 last year. On his return home he embarked on a hectic election campaign and led his party BNP to secure a landslide victory in the 13th Jatiya Sangshad election.

From exile to power Tarique Rahman had to earn maturity. Now running the government as PM with absolute electoral mandate his main challenge is to come up to expectation of the people. It is time for him to prove his vision and implement his pledges to the nation.