Bangladesh’s leading prime ministerial contender, Tarique Rahman, has rejected an offer to form a post-election unity government with his main rival, saying his party expects to secure a clear mandate when the country votes next week, according to an interview with Reuters.
Rahman, 60, who heads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, said there was no logic in sharing power with political opponents after the February 12 election, which follows months of upheaval triggered by a youth-led uprising that toppled long-time leader Sheikh Hasina. Speaking to Reuters at his party office in Dhaka, Rahman said his party was focused on winning outright and allowing rivals to play their role in opposition.
Bangladesh has been governed by an interim administration since August 2024, when Hasina fled to India, a longtime ally, after mass protests and unrest. A Dhaka court later sentenced her to death for her role in a violent crackdown, a move that further polarized the country and reshaped its political landscape.
The BNP’s main challenger in the upcoming vote is Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islamist group that once governed alongside the BNP between 2001 and 2006. Jamaat, which was previously banned but has since re-emerged, has floated the idea of a unity government to help stabilize Bangladesh after a year of turmoil that badly disrupted its vital garment industry. Rahman dismissed the proposal, asking how a government could function without a clear opposition.
BNP officials say the party is contesting 292 of the 300 parliamentary seats, with allies running in the remaining constituencies, and are confident of winning more than two-thirds of the seats. While Rahman declined to give specific numbers, he told Reuters the party was confident it would have enough support to form a government. Opinion polls have consistently forecast a BNP victory, though they also point to a strong showing by a Jamaat-led alliance that includes a new Gen Z party born out of the anti-Hasina protests.
Rahman returned to Bangladesh in December after nearly two decades in exile in London, where he had lived since fleeing political persecution during Hasina’s rule. His return has energized supporters and marked a dramatic personal and political comeback, with his campaign framed around restoring stability and economic growth.
On foreign policy, Rahman rejected the idea of aligning Bangladesh with any single global power. Relations with India have deteriorated sharply since New Delhi granted refuge to Hasina, opening space for China to expand its influence. Asked by Reuters whether he would pivot toward Beijing, Rahman said Bangladesh needed practical partners capable of helping create jobs and drive growth for its nearly 175 million people, stressing that cooperation would be based on national interest rather than loyalty to any one country.
He also addressed the future of Hasina’s family and party, saying anyone accepted by the people should be free to engage in politics. Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from contesting the election, and many of its senior figures remain abroad.
On the issue of Rohingya refugees, Rahman said Bangladesh would continue to host nearly 1.2 million Rohingya Muslims who fled persecution in neighboring Myanmar, despite the country’s own economic pressures. While he emphasized that their ultimate return home was the goal, he told Reuters they would remain welcome in Bangladesh until conditions in Myanmar were safe for repatriation.
