Tarique Rahman

Rahman was born on 20 November 1967 to Ziaur Rahman, the 7th President of Bangladesh, and Begum Khaleda Zia, the 10th Prime Minister of Bangladesh. He studied at Shaheen High School and College and completed his SSC from Dhaka Residential Model College. He then earned his HSC from Adamjee Cantonment College. He graduated in international relations from the University of Dhaka.[12]

Rahman started his political career as a primary member of the BNP Gabtali Upazila, Bogra District in 1988.[13]

Rahman actively assembled support for the party during the national elections of 1991, when the transition was taking place from the autocratic ruling to the democratic government. He was a member of the BNP's National Campaign Strategy Committee, and was also responsible for coordinating the election campaigns in five constituencies from which his mother Khaleda Zia was contesting.[14] During that period, he proactively organized the BNP units of Bogra and changed the inherent cultures to make politics more production and development oriented.[14]

After the BNP's success in the national elections of 1991 and the formation of the new government, Rahman was offered a senior role in the party as recognition of his contributions. However, he was reluctant to take up a higher position in order to have enough time to strengthen the party at the grassroots level. For many years, he remained active in developing the Bogra units of the BNP. During the national elections of 1996, the party grassroots and the senior leadership requested Rahman to contest a constituency from Bogra. But he declined the offer with a view to furthering his work at the grassroots levels and coordinating the election campaigns for his mother.[15]

During the ruling of the Awami League government in 1996–2001, Rahman mobilized movements against the actions of the government. He actively campaigned to address issues of economic deprivation and started championing a countrywide consultation program aimed at publicizing the plight of the people living in rural areas.

This large-scale program, the first in the history of Bangladesh of this nature, drove mass mobilization against the government, which in turn, played an instrumental role in fostering the return of the BNP to power. He established the secret ballot system in Bogra to elect leaders through open council.[16]

In the national elections held in 2001, the party won a landslide victory with a two-thirds majority.[17]

Tarique Rahman, is the prime convict to be the mastermind of 21 August 2004 terrorist grenade attack on a public rally organized by the then-opposition party Awami League. The attack using military grade Arges grenade targeted the entire top leadership of Awami League including current prime minister Sheikh Hasina and killed 24 Awami league leaders and workers including Ivy Rahman, President of Women Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman. The attack also injured hundreds of victims and many became permanently crippled. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment by Bangladesh Court.[18][19]

Following the release of Rahman's mother Khaleda Zia on 11 September 2008, he flew to London, United Kingdom for medical treatment at Wellington hospital, an independent private hospital in St. John's Wood. The 1/11 interim government backed by the army confirmed that Rahman gave written bond of not to indulge in any future politics and was allowed to go abroad

The Anti corruption Commission filed 12 cases against Rahman and his friend and business partner, Giasuddin Al Mamun, which BNP claims is politically motivated and cases are being filed as part of the conspiracy of the immediate past caretaker government to prevent Rahman from participating in Bangladesh politics. On 16 October 2009 the High Court issued a rule asking the government and the Anti Corruption Commission Bangladesh to explain why the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case against Khaleda Zia and Rahman should not be quashed on a petition filed by Zia.[20] On 9 November 2017, the Bangladesh Supreme Court dismissed Khaleda and Rahman's petition seeking stay on trial proceedings on the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The lower court now has no legal bar to continue the corruption case against them.[21]

Khaleda Zia said her son would take part in active politics upon his return from abroad after completing treatment. She addressed a few public meetings on her way to Bogra and alleged that the present government is trying to harass her son so that he cannot return to the country. She said, "Tareque worked for the development of the country, but a lot of cases were filed only to destroy him as a part of national as well as international conspiracies" She also added, "On March 7, 2007, he was picked up in a car right in front of me. But after the custody my son had to be sent abroad in a stretcher for treatment... Doctors have said his recovery will take more time..."[22]

On 8 December 2009 in The 5th National Council of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Rahman was declared as the senior vice chairman of BNP.[23][24]

On 25 July 2013, Rahman was invited to an iftar party in London arranged by the expatriate supporters of the party.[25] In September 2013, some representatives from the Government of United States met Rahman and discussed some bilateral issues.[26]

On 4 January 2014, in a video message posted on YouTube,[27] Rahman called for a boycott of the January 5 general election in Bangladesh.[28]

In November 2018, Rahman conducted the interview process through Skype for the nomination seekers of BNP party at the 2018 Bangladeshi general election.[29][30]

Rahman currently lives in suburban London.[28] He is married to Zubaida Rahman, a physician and the youngest daughter of Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, former Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy.[37] She is the first cousin of Irene Khan, a former Secretary General of Amnesty International.[12] Their only daughter Zaima Rahman is a barrister.[38]