DHAKA: Tarique Rahman has been appointed as the chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), days after the demise of his mother and party chairperson Khaleda Zia following a prolonged illness.
The Standing Committee of the BNP approved the appointment of Rahman as the Chairman of the party in a meeting on Friday.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed the appointment to the media after the meeting, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Rahman, speaking at a meet-and-greet event on Saturday, said there is “no reason” for the country to return to the political conditions that existed before the toppling of the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, news portal bdnews24.com reported.
“We don’t want to go back to pre-August 5 days. There’s no reason for us to do that,” Tarique said.
The BNP in a social media post said Rahman has assumed office as the chairman of the party.
“Following the passing of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister, national leader Begum Khaleda Zia, the position of party Chairman became vacant. In line with the BNP constitution, a meeting of the National Standing Committee was held,” the BNP said in the post on X.
“At the meeting, Mr. Tarique Rahman was unanimously appointed to the vacant post and formally given responsibility as the Chairman of the BNP,” it added.
Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh on December 25 after 17 years of self-exile in London, was appointed the chairman after the post of BNP chairman was left vacant following the death of party chairperson and his mother, Khaleda Zia.
The three-time Bangladesh prime minister and BNP matriarch died on December 30 following a prolonged illness.
Rahman, 60, has emerged as a leading contender for the post of the prime minister in the polls.
In 2002, Rahman was made BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General and became Senior Vice Chairman in 2009. In 2018, when Zia was imprisoned, Rahman was appointed acting chairperson of the party.
The BNP emerged as the forerunner to capture power in the February polls, as former prime minister Hasina's Awami League party has been barred from contesting the election.