Tarique Rahman Rejects Unity-Government Offer, Says BNP Poised To Win Majority After Feb. 12 Vote

Tarique Rahman, the leading prime-ministerial contender and head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on Friday rejected a rival's proposal to form a post-election unity government, saying the BNP expects to win enough seats to govern alone in the Feb. 12 vote.

Background

Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh in December after nearly two decades in exile in London. His return followed mass youth-led protests that precipitated the fall of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 and remains there. A Dhaka court later sentenced Hasina in relation to a deadly crackdown on those protests.

The BNP's main challenger in the election is the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, which was once banned but has re-emerged. Jamaat and allied groups—including a Gen Z movement that grew out of the anti-Hasina protests—are expected to present a significant challenge, and Jamaat has said it is open to a renewed partnership with the BNP to form a unity government.

Rahman Rejects Unity Government

Speaking at his party office beneath portraits of his parents, Rahman dismissed the unity-government proposal as impractical. He questioned how opponents could simultaneously be in government and properly serve as the opposition:

“How can I form a government with my political opponents, and then who would be in the opposition? I don't know what will be their seat number, but if they are in the opposition, I hope to have them as a good opposition.”

His aides say the BNP expects to win more than two-thirds of the 300 parliamentary seats. The party is contesting 292 seats directly, with allied parties contesting the remainder. Rahman declined to give a precise seat forecast but said, “we are confident that we'll have enough to form a government.”

Foreign Relations and Economic Priorities

Rahman emphasized pragmatic diplomacy rather than a pivot toward any single power. With Bangladesh seeking jobs and private investment to lift living standards for nearly 175 million people, he said the government would work with any partner that respects Bangladesh’s sovereignty and can deliver economic benefits.

“So whoever, while protecting the interests and sovereignty of Bangladesh, offers what is suitable for my people and my country, we will have friendship with them, not with any particular country.”

He also reiterated that Hasina must face justice under Bangladesh law, saying a judgment had been passed and that those responsible for crimes should be held accountable.

Rohingya Refugee Issue

Bangladesh hosts nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees who fled repeated crackdowns in Myanmar. The interim government previously said it lacked resources to take on additional refugee-related burdens without international help. Rahman said he wants Rohingya to return when conditions in Myanmar are safe, but until then they are welcome to remain in Bangladesh.

“We will try to work on the issue so that these people can go back to their own land,” he said. “The situation has to be safe for them to go back there. As long as it is not safe, they are very welcome to stay here.”

Election Context

Hasina's Awami League is barred from contesting this election; many senior leaders and family members left the country before or after her fall. Opinion polls broadly forecast a BNP victory but also point to a stiff challenge from the Jamaat-led alliance.

Reporting: Tora Agarwala, Krishna N. Das and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; additional reporting by Sam Jahan and Zia Chowdhury. Edited for clarity.