Bangladesh Election: Tarique Rahman Vows to End Corruption After 17 Years in Exile

Bangladesh Braces for New Era as Tarique Rahman Vows to End Corruption

DHAKA – Bangladesh began voting on Thursday in its first election in almost two decades widely considered free and fair, with Tarique Rahman, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), emerging as the frontrunner and promising a new era of clean politics. Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile, has pledged a “top down, no tolerance” approach to corruption if his party comes to power.

Speaking to the Guardian before polls opened, the 60-year-old Rahman acknowledged the pivotal and “challenging” moment for Bangladesh, a nation long plagued by corruption and a sustained assault on democracy. “We saw in the last regime that corruption was encouraged,” he said. “Our economy was left destroyed. It will take time, but if we establish real accountability in every part of the government and send a message down the chain, that will eventually control corruption.”

Polls suggest the BNP is likely to secure a sizeable majority over its main rival, the Islamist party Jamaat e-Islami, potentially returning the party to power after 20 years. The election marks the first since the ousting of Sheikh Hasina in 2024, following a student-led uprising met with a violent crackdown that resulted in an estimated 1,400 deaths, according to the United Nations.

Rahman’s return to Bangladesh on Christmas Day ended a lengthy period as a political fugitive. He assumed leadership of the BNP following the death of his mother, Khaleda Zia, a prominent figure in Bangladeshi politics and a longtime opponent of Hasina, who died just five days after his return.

“Physically, I may have been out of the country but for all those years I was always connected to my people in Bangladesh,” Rahman stated. “As soon as the opportunity came to serve my people, I came back.”

Associates say Rahman’s time in exile in London, where he lived with his family, has had a moderating influence. He has reportedly expressed a desire for greater tolerance in Bangladeshi politics and even suggested implementing weekly rubbish collections – a detail reflecting his observations of daily life in Britain.

While acknowledging past “mistakes” made by the BNP during its previous term in power between 2001 and 2006, Rahman defended his record. He was jailed in 2007 on corruption charges, which he denies, and later released to seek medical treatment in London. During Hasina’s subsequent 15-year rule, he was convicted of a series of terror and corruption charges, allegations he claims were politically motivated.

The courts overturned those convictions after Hasina’s fall in 2024, clearing the way for his return. “It’s been more than 18 years and they’ve failed to prove anything,” Rahman said. “Don’t you think that’s good enough, long enough to prove that I did nothing wrong?”

However, Rahman’s return has not been universally welcomed. Critics point to the dynastic nature of Bangladeshi politics, with both his parents having served as prime ministers, and express concerns that it perpetuates the dominance of a few families over the country since its independence in 1971.

The resurgence of Jamaat e-Islami, an Islamist party allied with the National Citizen Party, also presents potential challenges. The party is expected to achieve its largest vote share in history and could become a formidable opposition force, raising concerns about the future of secularism in Bangladesh. Jamaat e-Islami’s leader has faced criticism for views on women’s rights, and there have been reports of increased moral policing of women in the country.

Rahman dismissed concerns about the rise of Islamist politics, attributing it to the “absence of democracy” and the “frustration” of a population denied a voice for too long. He believes that providing opportunities for employment and a decent life will steer people away from extremism.

Rebuilding relations with India will be a key challenge for the new government. Ties between the two countries deteriorated under Hasina’s rule and have remained strained, particularly after India offered refuge to Hasina and members of her party following her ouster. Rahman stated he seeks “a relationship of mutual respect, mutual understanding” with India, but remained cautious when asked about the continued presence of Hasina and her allies in India. “That depends,” he said. “It has to be on them too.”

The election is being overseen by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, tasked with restoring democracy after years of political turmoil. More than 900,000 police, army, and security personnel have been deployed to ensure security during the vote, with 127 million registered voters participating in the process.

“What we have is the first credible election the country’s held in 17 years so it’s incredibly significant,” said Thomas Kean, a senior consultant on Bangladesh at the Crisis Group. “People are eager to have the chance to vote after so long.”

In Dhaka, voters expressed excitement at the prospect of freely participating in the democratic process. “I am excited, this is the first time I am freely taking part in an election,” said Yasmin Sorupa, 30, who intends to vote for the BNP. “In the past, I could never cast my vote because when I went to the polling station, somebody had already cast it.”