Bangladesh’s leading prime ministerial contender, Tarique Rahman, on Friday turned down a proposal from his main rival to form a unity government after next week’s elections, stating that his party was confident of securing victory on its own
Bangladesh’s leading prime ministerial contender, Tarique Rahman, on Friday turned down a proposal from his main rival to form a unity government after next week’s elections, stating that his party was confident of securing victory on its own.
Rahman, 60, who leads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), returned to the country in December after nearly 20 years in exile in London. His return followed a youth-led uprising that toppled long-time leader Sheikh Hasina, a longtime rival of Rahman’s mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female head of government.
The BNP’s primary competitor in the February 12 election is the Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami, which was previously banned but has re-emerged as a political force.
The two parties governed in coalition between 2001 and 2006, and Jamaat has indicated it is open to renewing the partnership through a unity government aimed at stabilising the country, whose crucial garment sector was severely disrupted by months of unrest in 2024.
Since August 2024, Bangladesh has been administered by an interim government following Hasina’s departure to India, where she remains under the protection of a long-time ally.
“How can I form a government with my political opponents, and then who would be in the opposition?” Reuters quoted Rahman as saying in an interview at his party office.
“I don’t know what will be their seat number, but if they are in the opposition, I hope to have them as a good opposition,” he added.
His aides said the BNP is confident of winning more than two-thirds of the 300 parliamentary seats up for grabs. The party is contesting 292 of the seats, while its allies are fielding candidates for the remainder.
Rahman did not provide a specific figure but said, “we are confident that we’ll have enough to form a government.”
Opinion polls have largely predicted a BNP victory, though they also indicate a strong challenge from the Jamaat-led alliance, which includes a Gen Z party that emerged from the youth-led anti-Hasina protests.
India-Bangladesh ties
New Delhi’s decision to provide refuge to Hasina, who was sentenced to death last year by a Dhaka court for her role in the crackdown, has severely strained Bangladesh-India relations and created an opportunity for China to expand its investments and political influence in the country.
When asked whether he would shift Bangladesh’s alignment from India toward China if elected, Rahman said the country needed partners capable of driving economic growth for its nearly 175 million citizens.
“If we are in the government, we need to provide jobs for young people. We need to bring businesses into the country so that jobs can be created and people can have a better life,” he said.
“So whoever, while protecting the interests and sovereignty of Bangladesh, offers what is suitable for my people and my country, we will have friendship with them, not with any particular country.”
Asked whether Hasina’s children were free to return from abroad and engage in politics, he said: “If someone is accepted by the people, if people welcome them, then anyone has the right to do politics.”
Hasina’s Awami League is banned from contesting the election. Many senior leaders and members of her family were already abroad before her fall or fled around that time.
Rohingya welcome to stay
Bangladesh, one of the world’s most densely populated countries and home to high levels of extreme poverty, currently hosts nearly 1.2 million Rohingya Muslim refugees.
Many fled repeated crackdowns in neighbouring Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country where they are widely treated as outsiders.
Last year, the interim government said it lacked the capacity to allocate additional resources for the refugees “given our numerous challenges” and appealed to the international community to assist in their repatriation.
Rahman said he also supported their return, but only under safe conditions.
“We will try to work on the issue so that these people can go back to their own land,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
“The situation has to be safe for them to go back there. As long as it is not safe, they are very welcome to stay here.”
With inputs from agencies
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