Tareque Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), marks his 61st birthday today, Thursday. Born on November 20, 1965, he is the eldest son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia—two central figures in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
Rahman spent his early years in Dhaka Cantonment, where he studied at Shaheen High School and College, then an English-medium institution primarily serving children of military personnel. He completed his secondary and higher secondary education with distinction, later graduating with honors and a master’s degree. He pursued higher studies in International Relations, a field closely aligned with his political aspirations.
His formal entry into politics came in 1988, when he obtained primary membership of the BNP in Gabtali, Bogura. By 1993, he became a full member of the Bogura district unit. During the 1991 national election, he worked to build public support for the party—an effort that highlighted his emerging role in organizational affairs.
As a member of the party’s national campaign strategy committee, Rahman coordinated the election campaigns in five constituencies where Khaleda Zia contested. Her sweeping victories in those seats strengthened internal perceptions of his capacity for future leadership within the party.
To mark his birthday this year, BNP leadership has urged restraint. The party has instructed its units in Dhaka and across the country not to organize celebrations such as cake cutting, posters, banners, or festive events. Instead, those considering commemorative programs have been asked to donate the equivalent expenses to humanitarian causes.