Author: Tora Agarwala, Krishna N. Das and Ruma Paul
DHAKA, Feb 6 (Reuters) – Bangladesh’s leading prime ministerial candidate Tariq Rehman on Friday rejected an offer from his main rivals to form a coalition government after next week’s election, saying his party was confident of winning on its own.
Rehman, 60, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), returned in December after nearly two decades in exile in London after a youth-led uprising ousted longtime leader Sheikh Hasina.
The BNP’s main rival in the February 12 elections is the Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami, which was once banned but is now making a comeback.
The two parties governed together from 2001 to 2006, and Jamath has expressed a willingness to renew the coalition partnership to help stabilize the country, whose vast garment industry has been severely damaged by months of turmoil in 2024.
Bangladesh has been run by an interim government since Hasina fled to long-time ally India in August 2024, where she remains.
“How can I form a government with my political opponents and then who will be in the opposition?” Rahman said in an interview at his party office, seated under portraits of his mother and former president father.
“I don’t know what their seat number is, but if they are in opposition, I hope they will be a good opposition party.”
His aides said the BNP was confident of winning more than two-thirds of the 300 parliamentary seats. The party is contesting 292 of those seats, while allies are vying for the remainder.
Rahman declined to give specific figures but said “we are confident there will be enough funds to form a government.”
All polls predict the BNP will win but will also face a stiff challenge from the Jamaat alliance, which includes Generation Z parties that emerged from the anti-Hasina protests.
good global relations
New Delhi’s decision to shelter Hasina has caused serious tensions in Bangladesh-India relations and also provided an opportunity for China to expand investment and political influence. Hasina was sentenced to death by a Dhaka court last year for her role in a deadly crackdown on protests.
Asked whether there would be a shift away from India and China if it wins, Rahman said Bangladesh needs partners who can promote economic growth for its nearly 175 million people.
“If we are in government, we need to provide jobs for young people. We need to bring businesses into the country so that jobs are created and people can live a better life,” he said.
“So whoever offers what is right for my people and my country while protecting Bangladesh’s interests and sovereignty, we will have friendship with them and not with any particular country.”
Regarding Hasina’s appearance in India, Rahman said: “In 2024, she did commit a crime under Bangladeshi law. The sentence has been passed, so she must be brought to justice.”
Asked whether Hasina’s children would be free to return from abroad and participate in politics, he said: “Whoever is involved in any form of crime must face consequences. (But) if someone is accepted by the people, if people welcome them, then anyone has the right to engage in politics.”
Hasina’s Awami League was barred from participating in the elections. Before she collapsed or fled, many senior leaders and her family members were already abroad.
Rohingya welcome to stay until safe return
Bangladesh, one of the world’s most densely populated countries with high rates of extreme poverty, is home to nearly 1.2 million Rohingya Muslim refugees, many of whom have fled repeated crackdowns in neighboring Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are treated as outsiders.
The interim government said last year it was unable to allocate additional resources to refugees “given the numerous challenges we face” and called on the international community to help repatriate them.
Rahman said he also wanted them to return home, but only if conditions were safe.
“We will work to resolve this issue so these people can return to their land,” he said. “It has to be safe for them to go back there. As long as it’s not safe, they’re more than welcome to stay here.”
(Reporting by Tora Agarwala, Krishna N. Das and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Additional reporting by Sam Jahan and Zia Chowudhury in Dhaka; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Toby Chopra)
