Overview
- BNP’s National Standing Committee met on January 9 and unanimously appointed Tarique Rahman in line with the party constitution, with the party stating he has assumed office.
- Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir confirmed the decision to reporters, filling the vacancy created by Khaleda Zia’s death on December 30 in Dhaka at age 80.
- Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25 after 17 years in London, following acquittals in several cases from the Awami League era that cleared his path back to politics.
- National elections are scheduled for February 12 under a caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and reports say Rahman’s elevation positions him as the BNP’s prime ministerial contender.
- Coverage describes the BNP as the front-runner with the Awami League barred from contesting, and Rahman’s high-profile homecoming drew large crowds that energized party supporters.