Dhaka — Tarique Rahman, longtime BNP chairperson, became Bangladesh’s prime minister Tuesday after voters handed his party 212 seats in the February 12 national election. Jamaat-e-Islami took 77 seats in the 300-member parliament, according to election officials.

Rahman swore the oath in a public ceremony, vowing before Almighty Allah and the nation to uphold their rights. As son of Liberation War hero Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, he steps into the role 18 months after the 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government. Many Bangladeshis, some waiting decades since 1971, celebrated the moment as democracy’s return.

The election capped a turbulent period. Army Chief Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman cast his ballot at Adamjee Cantonment College in Dhaka on polling day and called it ‘significant and joyous.’ Voters turned out without fear, he said. Back on September 24, 2024, Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman promised polls within 18 months and told reporters the army would stay out of politics. On August 7, 2024, ahead of the interim government’s start under Dr. Muhammad Yunus, he voiced confidence in a democratic path. The timeline held.

Rahman’s path to power traced back to his December 25, 2025, return from exile. Throngs lined airport roads and Kuril’s 300 Feet Road overnight in winter chill. His bus, marked ‘Bangladesh First,’ crawled three hours through crowds to Bishwaroad. Doubts about his homecoming vanished that day.

Begum Khaleda Zia’s death on December 31, 2025, at Evercare Hospital in Bashundhara stirred national grief. Her funeral at Manik Mia Avenue drew massive crowds from all walks, echoing Ziaur Rahman’s 1981 sendoff at the same spot. Mourners pledged support for her son. Ballots on February 12 sealed that vow.

BNP’s win fulfilled 1971 Liberation War aspirations and honored 2024 martyrs, supporters said. The party dominated after 18 months of reforms, uncertainty and tension. Armed forces ensured stability, earning public thanks for professionalism.

Prime Minister Rahman already showed outreach. He visited opposition figures like Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam and Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, the Charmonai Pir. In parliament, BNP lawmakers rejected duty-free cars and government land allotments, he announced.

Challenges loom large. Citizens demand peace, security, rule of law, jobs and safe banking. Rahman must quash party extortion claims from the campaign, root out corruption, boost the economy with local investors and pick honest officials. He vowed a people-first government, echoing his exile pledge: ‘I have a plan.’

Success here sustains his parents’ legacy. His daughter Zaima Rahman draws comparisons to her grandmother’s steel. Bangladesh entrusted him its future. Delivery starts now.