Photo courtesy Rahul Laxman Patil
By Nava Thakuria*
From Exile to Front-Runner: Tarique Rahman Eyes Bangladesh’s Top Job
As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a simultaneous referendum on the July National Charter tomorrow, the interim government chief, Professor Muhammad Yunus, urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritise the “greater interest of the Muslim majority nation regardless of the poll-outcomes.” Addressing over 170 million citizens, Nobel laureate Dr Yunus commented, “Victory as well as defeat is an integral part of democracy, and hence after the election, they should dedicate themselves to building a new, just, democratic, and inclusive Bangladesh together.” He appealed to all voters to participate enthusiastically in a festive spirit and made a special appeal to women and young voters, many of whom were deprived of the opportunity to exercise their franchise in earlier occasions, “to come forward showing their commitment for a new beginning.”
The campaigning, which began on January 22, 2026, concluded on February 10 by 7:30 pm, with the electoral authorities imposing a ban on all public rallies and processions for 96 hours before and after voting day. Polling on Thursday will run from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm across 42,761 polling centres in 64 districts for 300 parliamentary constituencies. For the first time, postal voting has been facilitated for nearly 15 million overseas workers, whose remittances are vital to Bangladesh’s economy. Nearly 400 foreign election observers, including around 200 journalists representing 45 global media outlets, have arrived in the South Asian nation—up from 158 global observers in the 12th parliamentary elections of January 2024. A two-day government-announced general holiday began on 11 February, while Friday and Saturday (13–14 February) are weekly holidays.
Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party, Awami League, is barred from participation, leaving space for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies—including Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, National Citizen Party, and Jatiya Party—to contest freely. The country had its last general election in January 2024, but the overthrow of Hasina’s government following a student-led mass uprising just six months later, which caused over 1,400 deaths and thousands of injuries, necessitated the caretaker-led polls. The interim government in Dhaka has invited countries including India, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, and Romania, while global bodies such as the European Union, Commonwealth Secretariat, SAARC Human Rights Foundation, Asian Network for Free Elections, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, SNAS Africa, Polish Institute for International Affairs, International Republican Institute, and National Democratic Institute have agreed to send election observers.
In addition to the elections, a national referendum will be held on major political and constitutional reforms outlined in the “July Charter”, including term limits for prime ministers, changes to executive powers, and the formation of a Constitutional Reform Council if approved. Analysts view the twin exercises as a crucial test for Bangladesh’s democratic institutions and the country’s political and economic stability.
Media safety remains a critical concern. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged all major parties—including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, National Citizen Party, and Jatiya Party—to “make public commitments to protect journalists during the election period” by rejecting violence, intimidation, and misuse of laws. The CPJ statement highlighted, “The risks to journalists intensified in the pre-election period across Bangladesh with continuing imprisonment of scribes on unverified charges and also longstanding impunity for violence against media professionals that contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship.” It noted that Bangladesh remains one of Asia’s leading jailers of journalists, with five currently behind bars for murder and national-security offences linked to reporting or perceived political affiliations, while impunity for journalist murders continues.
Addressing BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, CPJ said: “A free press is essential to the credibility of any election. Journalists play a critical role in informing voters, scrutinising those in power, and enabling meaningful public debate.” CPJ Asia-Pacific program coordinator Kunal Majumder added, “This form of abuse was enabled by the previous Hasina government to intimidate journalists and remains prevalent, despite a change in administration and promises of media reforms. Real reform means breaking from the past, not replicating its abuses.”
Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemned the murder of Bengali Hindu journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi (45) in Jessore on 5 January and demanded a thorough probe to book the culprits. PEC chairman Blaise Lempen also urged Dhaka to bring the extortionist group that attacked at least 12 journalists in Narsingdi on 26 January to justice. The Bangladesh Editors’ Council called on authorities to ensure the safety and security of journalists, arguing that “working journalists while gathering information during elections often face various threats,” and that the interim government, election commission, and law enforcement agencies should guarantee adequate security.
Western media projections favour the BNP-led alliance, with Tarique Rahman seen as the front-runner. Returning from a 17-year self-imposed exile in the UK on December 25, 2025, Rahman was greeted by millions of people. In a symbolic gesture, he said, “I have a plan,” echoing Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 speech, “I Have a Dream.” Following the death of Begum Zia, Bangladesh’s first female head of government, on December 30, 2025, Rahman received condolences from sympathisers while the government declared three days of state mourning.
Rahman has promised to prioritise job creation, technical education, information technology, and sports, envisioning a Bangladesh governed by mutual trust, respect, the rule of law, and freedom of speech. Voting will take place under strict security, with CCTV, body cameras, drones, and police deployed at risk-prone polling centres. Analysts caution that while BNP may lead, the referendum’s outcome will significantly influence constitutional reforms and the long-term trajectory of Bangladesh’s democracy.
*Senior journalist
