Overview
- The BNP said on X that its National Standing Committee unanimously appointed Rahman as chairman in line with the party constitution, and he has formally assumed office.
- The chair fell vacant after three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia died on December 30 in Dhaka; Rahman had served as acting chair since 2018 and has held senior BNP posts since 2002.
- Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma held a roughly 40‑minute courtesy meeting with Rahman at the BNP chairman’s office in Dhaka, according to the party’s media cell.
- With the Awami League barred from contesting, multiple reports describe the BNP as the frontrunner for the February 12 election, with Jamaat‑e‑Islami identified as a principal rival.
- Rahman returned on December 25 after 17 years abroad following acquittals in several cases and said there is “no reason” for Bangladesh to revert to the pre–August 5 political circumstances, as reports note he is widely viewed as a leading prime ministerial contender.