Tarique Rahman Rejects Jamaat’s Proposal, Expresses Hope for Forming a Single-Party Government

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has rejected the proposal of forming a unity government with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami after the election. He expressed confidence that the BNP would secure enough seats to form the government on its own in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election scheduled for February 12.

Tarique Rahman made the remarks in an interview with Reuters on Friday (February 6). Questioning the logic of a unity government with a political rival, he said, “How can I form a unity government with my political opponent? Then who will be in the opposition?” He added that he does not know how many seats Jamaat-e-Islami might win, but if they sit in the opposition, he expects them to play the role of a constructive opposition party.

According to BNP leaders close to him, the party is hopeful of winning two-thirds of the seats in the 300-member parliament. BNP has fielded its own candidates in 292 constituencies, leaving the remaining seats for its alliance partners. However, Tarique Rahman himself did not mention any specific number, stating only that the party is confident of winning enough seats to form the government.

Responding to questions about foreign policy, Tarique Rahman said that if BNP comes to power, its priority will be creating jobs for young people and boosting economic growth. Emphasizing national interest and sovereignty, he said Bangladesh would maintain friendly relations with all countries whose proposals serve the interests of the people and the nation, rather than aligning with any single country.