Tarique Rahman 61st Birthday: BNP Shuns Celebrations for Charity

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is marking the 61st birthday of its Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, today, November 20, 2025. Tarique Rahman is the eldest son of the late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

Following instructions from the BNP, the birthday is being observed in a simple manner across the country. Leaders and activists have been asked to avoid celebrations like cake-cutting and instead donate the money they would have spent on such events. This directive aligns with the practice followed in previous years.

Born on November 20, 1965, Tarique Rahman grew up in a modest environment due to his father's emphasis on simple living. He attended Shaheen High School and College, Dhaka Cantonment, which was an English-medium school primarily for the wards of army personnel at the time. He completed his secondary and higher secondary education with "flying colors."

He pursued his graduate studies in International Relations (IR) at Dhaka University. During his academic life, he delved into the political philosophies of thinkers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, and Karl Marx, among others.

Tarique Rahman formally entered politics in 1988 by taking primary membership in Gabtali Upazila, Bogura, his father's birthplace. He became a member of the Bogra district BNP in 1993. His political skills were evident during the 1991 parliamentary elections, where he mobilized public opinion and coordinated his mother's successful campaign across five constituencies as a member of the National Campaign Strategy Committee.

He was later subjected to "cruel, mischievous, and conspiracy acts" by the army-backed 1/11 caretaker government, which implicated him in "false cases" in an alleged attempt to remove him from politics.

Tarique Rahman is now advocating for a total structural reform of the country to address what he views as "grave misrule and non-governance" under the current regime. His comprehensive 31-point country reform plan covers the executive, judiciary, and legislative branches of the government. His vision includes establishing a nation characterized by peace, harmony, dignity, and prosperity for all citizens, where fundamental rights are fully enjoyed. He also dreams of a climate-resilient Bangladesh that actively collaborates with the international community on global warming and wishes to establish a merit-based society.

Tarique Rahman plans to contest the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election from the Bogura-6 constituency. His return to Bangladesh is being anticipated by his supporters.