Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been named in TIME magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2026, published on Wednesday.
Tarique was placed 16th in the Leaders category of the prestigious list, which is topped this year by Pope Leo XIV, followed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US President Donald Trump.
TIME Editor-at-Large Campbell wrote in the profile that just months ago, Tarique was living a quiet life of exile surrounded by greenery in southwest London. "But the fall of Bangladesh's autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024 transformed this 57-year-old politician from an opposition activist into the nation's long-awaited leader, a destiny fulfilled through a sweeping electoral victory in February after 17 years away from home," the profile noted.
The magazine highlighted that Tarique's election victory followed in the footsteps of his mother Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister, who passed away just five days after his return to Dhaka.
Referencing an interview Tarique gave to the magazine in January while still grieving his mother's death, TIME wrote that the Prime Minister pledged to channel his loss into uniting a nation of 175 million people and revitalizing South Asia's second-largest economy. The profile acknowledged the scale of challenges facing Bangladesh, including high inflation, youth unemployment, and historically strained relations with regional power India, all demanding urgent attention.
"Tarique's respite period may be shorter than most. But after years in political exile, he is determined not to waste a single moment," TIME wrote, quoting the Prime Minister as saying, "We need to work together and unite so that people get their political rights back."
The recognition comes at a politically turbulent time domestically, with the opposition accusing the government of failing to implement reforms promised during the July uprising and the referendum, while the ruling party navigates complex economic and diplomatic challenges.
