Successful leadership and not family ties will decide the future of BNP’s leadership, Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has said in an interview with BBC Bangla.

The leader of the country’s biggest active political party made the claim when asked if his wife, daughter or other family members would join the party and one day take its reins.

“Politics is not inherited or determined by family…Whoever can organize, unite the people, and unite the party to move forward will be able to advance. If someone cannot do that, they will not be able to move forward. Time and circumstances will reveal everything,” he said in the interview, the first part of which was published online on Monday morning. The second part will be published on BBC Bangla's website on Tuesday.

The face-to-face interview is the first for Tarique after nearly two decades.

In the extensive interview, he also presented BNP’s stance on other issues, including the party’s strategy for the upcoming election, the politics of the Awami League, trials of its leaders and activists, Bangladesh’s election-centered politics, and other contemporary matters.

The interview was conducted by Mir Sabbir, Editor of BBC Bangla, and Kadir Kallol, Senior Journalist at BBC Bangla.

The full text of the interview’s first part is as follows:

BBC Bangla: Tarique Rahman, thank you very much for joining BBC Bangla.

Tarique Rahman: Thank you as well, for giving me the opportunity to speak.

BBC Bangla: How are you? How have you been spending your time?

Tarique Rahman: Alhamdulillah, I am physically well. Naturally, my time has been quite busy. Physically I may be in this country, but in terms of my mind, spirit, and everything else, I have remained in Bangladesh for the past 17 years.

BBC Bangla: We’re speaking with you at a time when Bangladesh is, arguably, standing at a critical turning point in its history. During this period, you have attended many party events, spoken there, and continued to communicate regularly. But you haven’t spoken to the media for a long time. Why haven’t you spoken for so long?

Tarique Rahman: I don’t think that’s exactly the case — it’s a bit different, actually. I have been speaking. I’ve been living abroad for the past 17 years, but since the party’s responsibilities were placed on my shoulders, I’ve been communicating at various levels with my leaders, activists, and the general public in towns and villages — whenever and however they have participated, I have spoken with everyone.

As you may know, during the previous autocratic government’s rule, a formal court order was issued that effectively banned me from speaking. Even if I had wanted to say something to the media — and even if the media had wanted to publish it — they were not allowed to do so.

BBC Bangla: I was actually referring to interviews — the question-and-answer format, especially over the past year. It’s been a year since the mass uprising in Bangladesh, and many believed that after the fall of the Awami League government, you would return home and lead the party in person. The question that has been repeatedly raised over the past year — and is still being asked — is: why haven’t you returned to the country yet?

Tarique Rahman: For some valid reasons, my return hasn’t happened yet. But I think the time has come. Insha’Allah, I will return soon.

BBC Bangla: Can we know when that might be?

Tarique Rahman: Very soon, I believe. Very soon, Insha’Allah.

BBC Bangla: So, can we say there’s a possibility that you will return before the election?

Tarique Rahman: Since I am involved in politics — as a political activist — naturally, there is an inseparable connection between politics, a political party, and elections.

BBC Bangla: One issue that has come up from within your party — some of your party leaders have, from time to time, mentioned concerns about your security as a reason for your not returning. Have you personally felt any such sense of insecurity?

Tarique Rahman: We’ve heard about various kinds of concerns from many individuals at different times. Even from certain people within the government, such concerns have often been expressed through different channels and in various media outlets.

BBC Bangla: Let’s come to the topic of the July uprising. Almost all sides acknowledge that you played an active role during that time. However, some of your party leaders and supporters have described you as the sole mastermind behind the uprising. Do you see yourself as the mastermind of that movement?

Tarique Rahman: No, I definitely do not see myself as the mastermind of the July movement. The movement that became famous or widely recognized as the July uprising — which achieved success in July, particularly around 5 August — actually began taking shape many years earlier.

In this movement, leaders and activists of Bangladesh’s democratic political parties — whether from the BNP or other democratic parties — all contributed in various ways. Their leaders and activists faced repression in different forms.

I believe that by the time July–August arrived, the people themselves joined hands with all democratic political parties. Were only political leaders and activists out in the streets that day? Certainly not.

We saw students from madrasas participating in the movement. We saw housewives taking to the streets alongside their children. We saw farmers, workers, CNG drivers, small shop employees and owners, and garment workers — all of them came out. We even saw retired officers and employees from the armed forces joining the movement.

Many journalists who had been persecuted under the autocratic regime and forced into exile also became involved in the movement. Therefore, we do not wish to diminish or overlook anyone’s role.

I firmly believe that people from every segment of society — regardless of party, ideology, or class — made their contribution.

This movement was the people’s movement — the movement of the people of Bangladesh who believe in democracy. The masterminds of this movement were not any particular party or individual — the masterminds were the democracy-seeking people of Bangladesh.

BBC Bangla: After the student–public uprising, various sides have claimed credit for it. Do you think this competition to claim credit has exposed narrow political interests, and does the BNP bear any responsibility in this regard?

Tarique Rahman: Let’s look at it from another perspective. In the history of Bangladesh, this has been an unforgettable event.

In this movement — in this sacrifice of the people — something happened that usually doesn’t occur in political or anti-autocracy movements: children were killed, children became martyrs, children lost their lives. As far as I can recall, around 63 children were martyred — killed — in this struggle against dictatorship.

As I mentioned earlier in response to your previous question, the credit for this movement belongs to the people of Bangladesh — irrespective of political affiliation or ideology — not to any single political party.

Many may have said different things or made various claims; that is their position.

But my position, and that of my party, is this: the movement has already taken place, and the people have achieved success through it. Naturally, there are two sides to any movement. On one side are those who were martyred — around 2,000 people were killed during the uprising. On the other side are about 30,000 people who were injured in different ways, left crippled, or lost their sight.

I believe what we should do now — what all of us, including the state, the government, and political parties, should do — is to stand beside those families as much as possible. We should extend whatever support we can, stay by their side, and honor their sacrifice.

BBC Bangla: From the very beginning of the interim government, the BNP has been demanding a quick election. BNP leaders have also accused the government of procrastination. Now it appears that the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, along with the Election Commission, has announced that the election will be held in February. How confident are you that the election will actually take place in February?

Tarique Rahman: The BNP has consistently said from the very beginning that the sooner the election is held, the sooner stability will return to the country.

You see, for the past 17 years, the people of Bangladesh have been deprived not only of their political rights but also of economic prosperity.

As a result, we have witnessed a series of negative spillover effects throughout society. Unemployment has increased, poverty has risen. The education system has gradually been destroyed.

Yes, it’s not that everything will be fixed overnight with just one election. When you start addressing these problems, naturally, the issues will begin to decrease gradually.

We are pleased that, even if belatedly, the government has been able to realize this.

We wanted the election to be held in December. Now they want to hold it in February. We hope that the government will take all necessary steps in a timely and systematic manner in this regard.

BBC Bangla: Now that you say you want to have confidence, what is your plan regarding the election? Will the BNP contest it alone, as a single party, or will it participate as part of an alliance with seat-sharing arrangements?

Tarique Rahman: That’s a rather tricky question. Look, during the previous autocratic period, around 64 political parties, each from their own position, tried to organize movements on the streets. We want to work with all of them to rebuild the state.

BBC Bangla: So, you mean only those who participated in the movement? In other words, who will actually be your allies — who will join you as you move forward with the election?

Tarique Rahman: More or less, we want to build the state with everyone.

BBC Bangla: But it has been observed that Jamaat-e-Islami is hinting at forming an anti-BNP alliance with some parties. Do you see this as a concern? How do you view it?

Tarique Rahman: Look, if any party or a group of parties participates in politics within the framework of Bangladesh’s laws — the existing valid laws and constitution — and with the acceptance and support of the people, they are free to do so. I don’t see any reason for concern or worry in this.

BBC Bangla: If they form a separate alliance, will that pose any challenge to you?

Tarique Rahman: No, why would it? In an election, competition is natural.

BBC Bangla: Coming to the question of nominations, what will your strategy be? In past elections, there have been allegations at different times about the influence of muscle power, money, and family considerations. What will be different this time?

Tarique Rahman: The factors you mentioned have never influenced our party’s decisions regarding nominations. We want to nominate someone from our party who is aware of the local issues, is connected with the people of that area, is actively involved with them, and is capable of resolving their problems.

BBC Bangla: To what extent will grassroots opinions be given priority? There are allegations that grassroots voices are given less importance.

Tarique Rahman: No, that’s not the case. Look, in a democracy — wherever democracy exists — differing opinions are natural. There can be various opinions and complaints.

Naturally, we pay attention to the majority opinion — more or less reflecting the views of the people in the area. We actively inquire after and investigate potential candidates based on opinions, whether it’s from the grassroots or the general public.

One important point: we are not choosing the party leadership here. We are selecting someone who, beyond having the party’s support, enjoys the backing of the majority of people in the area, irrespective of political affiliation.

BBC Bangla: Regarding the election, I want to ask: what will your role be in the upcoming election? Will you be contesting directly? Should we expect to see you as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister?

Tarique Rahman: I think you asked this question earlier, and I mentioned then that, naturally, I am a member of a political party — a political activist. There is an inseparable connection between a political party, its activists, and elections.

BBC Bangla: So, you will be participating in the election?

Tarique Rahman: Yes… Insha’Allah.

BBC Bangla: In other words, if the BNP comes to power or participates in the election, can we say with certainty that Tarique Rahman will be seen as the candidate for Prime Minister?

Tarique Rahman: That decision rests with the people of Bangladesh.

BBC Bangla: And on behalf of the BNP?

Tarique Rahman: In that case, the party will decide. How it proceeds is a party decision.

BBC Bangla: Will former Prime Minister and your party’s Chairperson, Khaleda Zia, play any role in this election? Can we expect to see her involved in the election?

Tarique Rahman: You are speaking about a person who has contributed to democracy in Bangladesh every time democratic rights were undermined. She has always worked to restore and strengthen democracy.

Even recently, everyone witnessed how, during the autocratic period, she faced extreme persecution. Yet she did not compromise. Today, such a person is unwell. She became physically ill, was dragged into prison through false cases, and was denied proper medical care.

We saw her leave as a healthy person. But when she returned, she was unwell. She was even denied access to treatment. The people of Bangladesh are aware of all these events. Despite all this, given her immense contribution to establishing democracy in Bangladesh, as a party member, I believe — and want to believe — that in the upcoming, widely anticipated election, she will, to the extent her physical capacity allows, play some role.

BBC Bangla: Could that include participating in the election?

Tarique Rahman: I cannot say that at this moment. As I mentioned, it depends somewhat on her physical and medical ability.

BBC Bangla: This brings up questions about the BNP’s future leadership. Your father, former President Ziaur Rahman, founded the BNP. Your mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, led the party for four decades. Now you are effectively leading the party. How much influence will family legacy have on BNP’s future leadership?

Tarique Rahman: Let me put it differently, respecting all perspectives. Look, a child of a doctor may become a doctor — sometimes performing well, sometimes not. Similarly, a child of a lawyer may become a good lawyer, or sometimes not.

The same applies in politics. Many children of politicians have entered politics. Did all of them perform well? No, not everyone. Some have succeeded; some have not.

Politics is not inherited or determined by family. It is based on support. Therefore, whoever can organize, unite the people, and unite the party to move forward will be able to advance. If someone cannot do that, they will not be able to move forward. Time and circumstances will reveal everything.

BBC Bangla: There is widespread discussion about whether your wife, daughter, or other family members will enter politics. So, is there any possibility of that, or are they interested in entering politics?

Tarique Rahman: As I said, time and circumstances will tell.

BBC Bangla: Let’s turn back to the election. The BNP was last in government from 2001 to 2006. Now, after nearly 19 years, the party has another opportunity to form a government. How would you describe the difference between the BNP of that time and the BNP of today?

Tarique Rahman: Over these 19 years, whether we talk about Bangladesh or the world at large, many things have changed — social systems have changed, economic systems have changed. I think two major things have shifted.

One is the impact of COVID, which the entire world has experienced. COVID has changed many aspects of our thinking and mindset. Similarly, another factor is that I am speaking with you online — the entire IT and social media landscape has altered people’s mindset in different ways. We are planning and organizing our programs accordingly. So, the plans and programs we had 19 years ago have undergone some changes.

But the basic principle remains the same: the betterment of the people. How to ensure that people can live better today and even better tomorrow — how a particular group or class can improve their lives — remains our top priority.

BBC Bangla: When BNP was last in government, there were many discussions and criticisms, one major issue being allegations of corruption. Many of those in government were accused, and corruption was reported in various places. You surely remember that Bangladesh faced much criticism regarding its ranking on corruption indices. How will you reassure voters that such a situation will not occur again?

Tarique Rahman: Look, you mentioned “champion in corruption.” From 1996 to 2001, the Awami League was in government. We formed the government after the 1 October 2001 election—probably officially on 10 October.

A few months later, a ranking came out from TIB (Transparency International Bangladesh), maybe two or three months after. Naturally, for a newly elected government, it’s impossible to change things significantly in just three months. So, the ranking was based on what the previous government had done over five years.

If you look at TIB’s reports after BNP handed over power to the caretaker government in 2006, you’ll see that the rankings gradually declined over time. This is not just my claim; it’s their statistics.

Yes, I admit we may not have been able to fully resolve everything. One must understand the reality: corruption has become a social disease. So it has to be addressed gradually, by educating people step by step. It will take time.

No matter what I say now, the reality is that this issue takes time, and we have to prove ourselves through actions.

Therefore, I can only tell voters this much: if we are given the opportunity, the people grant us that chance, we will make our utmost effort to create a situation where, at least to some extent, we can hold our heads high in front of the world and speak with dignity.

BBC Bangla: After 5 August, many BNP leaders and activists have faced allegations of extortion or land grabbing. While it’s true that many have been expelled from your party, it’s also true that such allegations keep surfacing. Why can’t this be stopped?

Tarique Rahman: With all due respect, I agree with you, but I’d like to point out another matter.

As you may have seen in various news reports, we have taken some organizational measures against roughly 7,000 of our leaders and activists. But not all of them are involved in the allegations you mentioned. Many of these cases are related to other organizational issues. That is one point.

The second point is that when we received such allegations, we investigated them. After investigation, we found several matters requiring action.

BBC Bangla: Regarding whether the Awami League should be allowed to participate in politics, many BNP leaders have often said that they are not in favor of banning any political party. Now, with elections approaching, questions are arising about whether the Awami League will be able to engage in politics or not. So what could be BNP’s position on this matter?

Tarique Rahman: If a party has committed wrongdoing, it will be judged according to the country’s laws. The law of the country will decide.

BBC Bangla: So you consider this a matter for the courts?

Tarique Rahman: Yes, if a party has committed wrongdoing, that will happen. Simply put, wrongdoers must be brought to justice—whether it is an individual or a party. Those who have committed atrocities must be held accountable. That could be an individual, or it could be a party.

BBC Bangla: Personally, what do you think? Should the Awami League remain in Bangladesh’s politics or not?

Tarique Rahman: I see no reason for any political party or organization to continue if the people do not support it. We believe in the power of the people; we believe in the decisions of the people. We want to trust the people’s judgment. I think the people are the ultimate judge in this matter.