TIME exclusive: Tarique says 'with great power comes great responsibility,' promises plan will win people's support
In an interview, Tarique reflected on his mother Khaleda Zia's death, his contested political legacy, allegations of corruption, and the responsibilities he faces
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has returned to Bangladesh after a long exile to contest elections, positioning himself as a bridge between the country's old political elites and its youth revolutionaries amid deep economic challenges and lingering allegations of corruption and dynastic politics.
In an interview with TIME today (28 January), Tarique reflected on his mother Khaleda Zia's death, his contested political legacy, allegations of corruption, and the responsibilities he faces as the country's de facto opposition leader.
The article, titled "Bangladesh's Prodigal Son", opens by describing Tarique Rahman as someone who has lost his voice despite being the aspiring leader of Bangladesh, the South Asian nation of 175 million. His speeches had been banned from local media for a decade by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
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"My body is getting adjusted to this local weather," Tarique said, speaking to TIME in his family home, in his first interview since returning after 17 years in exile.
"The thing is that I'm not very good at talking anyway," he shrugs, "but if you ask me to do something, I try my best."
He arrived in Bangladesh on 25 December, greeted by hundreds of thousands of rapturous supporters who had waited throughout the night at Dhaka's airport. Just five days later, his mother, Bangladesh's first woman prime minister Khaleda Zia, passed away following a long illness, drawing even larger crowds to pay their respects.
"It's very heavy in my heart," says Tarique, eyes welling. "But the lesson I learned from her is that when you have a responsibility, you must perform it."
The report notes that the 60-year-old politician comes with considerable baggage. His chief credentials are dynastic – as the son of Khaleda Zia and independence hero Ziaur Rahman. Tarique insists he is the right person to heal his riven nation.
"It's not because I'm the son of my father and mother," he says. "My party supporters are the reason why I'm here today."
In the interview, Tarique denied all corruption allegations, and his prior convictions were quashed by the interim government. "They have failed to prove anything," he says of his accusers.
He mentioned that his favorite pastime in London was strolling around leafy Richmond Park, lost in his thoughts, or reading history books. His favorite film is Air Force One. "I've probably seen it eight times!" he reveals.
Tarique comes across, TIME reports, as a policy wonk who can summon facts and figures on any issue.
"If I can implement just 30% of what I have planned, I'm sure the people of Bangladesh will support me," he says.
The feature also highlights Tarique's "slippery reputation." Born in Dhaka, he attended an Air Force school before enrolling at the University of Dhaka in the mid-1980s. He did not complete his international-relations degree, quitting during his second year.
He subsequently entered business and then politics more formally in the 1990s, rising to become senior joint secretary general of the BNP. His growing influence as a power broker made him both a central figure in party strategy and a controversial one, with critics accusing him of corruption and undue interference in governance.
Although Tarique denies any impropriety, the article mentions a leaked 2008 US diplomatic cable that branded him "a symbol of kleptocratic government and violent politics" and noted his reputation for "flagrantly and frequently demanding bribes."
During Bangladesh's 2007-2008 military-backed caretaker government, Tarique was imprisoned for 18 months on 84 charges including embezzlement, money laundering, and orchestrating a grenade attack on an Awami League convoy.
He suffered torture in prison that caused spinal problems that still affect him today. His departure to the UK was originally to seek medical treatment.
"If the winter is very cold, then I get back pain," he says. "But I see it as a reminder of the responsibility I have toward the people. I must give my best so that others do not suffer this kind of thing in the future."
With his ailing mother detained in 2018 on corruption charges she claimed were politically motivated, Tarique became the BNP's acting chairman, directing party activities via video link from abroad, the report mentions.
More recently, the Trump Administration imposed "reciprocal" tariffs of 20% on Bangladesh, hitting its export-reliant economy. Tarique told TIME he is exploring ways to reduce the trade deficit and negotiate a reprieve by potentially purchasing Boeing airplanes and U.S. energy infrastructure.
"Donald Trump will look after the interests of his country," says Tarique. "I will look after the interests of my country. But we can also help each other. I'm sure Mr Trump is a very reasonable man."
"Our first priority will be to ensure the rule of law," says Tarique. "To make sure that people are safe on the street, safe to do business."
"People just want to get back to a democracy where they can speak freely, where they can express themselves," he adds.
"Guarding the interests of our people and country comes first," says Tarique, "but then we will try to take relations further," referring to India.
Asked what he misses about his former life in London, Tarique doesn't hesitate. "My freedom," he says, gazing up at the 10-ft. barbed-wire fence that surrounds his family home. "When I came to this house, and saw all this security, I felt claustrophobic."
The article concludes that Tarique's return is fueled by purpose and determination to improve the lives of his people.
"With great power comes great responsibility," Tarique says. "I very much believe that."
