BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and daughter Zaima file nominations for the parliamentary election

Nomination papers for Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman have been filed on Monday for the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad election, scheduled for February 12, 2026. After returning from 17 years in self‑exile, Rahman will contest two constituencies - Dhaka‑17, a high-profile seat that includes areas such as Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and parts of the Dhaka Cantonment, and Bogura‑6 in the northern part of the country, increasing his chances of securing a parliamentary seat.

On behalf of Tarique, BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Abdus Salam and the Chief Adviser of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), Farhad Halim Donar, submitted the nomination papers at the office of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner in Segunbagicha around noon.

The Election Commission has approved the inclusion of both Tarique and his daughter Zaima Rahman in the official voter list after they completed national identity card registration and biometric formalities. They were registered as voters under Ward 19 in the Dhaka‑17 constituency, clearing a legal requirement for contesting the polls.

Zaima Rahman, a barrister and the only daughter of Tarique, has emerged as one of BNP’s young faces ahead of the election. While her participation in active politics has gained attention, her candidacy as a candidate is currently pending approval . Party leaders are considering the political strategy of fielding her in a suitable constituency, and a final decision is expected in the coming weeks.

Tarique’s December 25 return to Bangladesh was marked by large crowds and heightened security, seen by many as a pivotal moment in the country’s political landscape following last year’s student‑led uprising and the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He arrived from London with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima and was welcomed by supporters along Dhaka’s streets.

His homecoming followed the overturning of multiple convictions against him, including cases from the Awami League period, paving the way for his return after more than a decade and a half abroad. Since 2018, Tarique has led the BNP from London, where he lived after his release from detention during the army‑backed caretaker government of 2007‑08.

At the same time, his mother, BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia , is critically ill and hospitalized at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Zia has been receiving treatment since November 23 for multiple complications including heart, lung, and other organ issues, and her condition has been described by her personal physician as extremely critical . Tarique has visited her at the hospital multiple times since his return, often accompanied by family members after his political engagements. She remains under close observation by a medical board of both local and foreign specialists.

BNP leaders have called for national prayers for Khaleda Zia’s health, noting that her condition remains a major concern for the party and its supporters. Analysts say that her illness has added emotional weight to Tarique’s return and underscores the transitional phase the BNP is navigating ahead of the February elections.

BNP leaders have described Tarique’s participation in the February elections as crucial for reviving multiparty democracy and offering a fresh political direction, while analysts note that his entry reshapes the contest in key constituencies nationwide.