Tarique Rahman Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Other Name (s)	• Tarique Zia • Tarek Zia
Nickname	Pinu
Profession	Politician
Famous for	Being acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)	5' 8" (173cm)
Eye Colour	Light Brown
Hair Colour	Salt and Pepper
Politics
Political Party	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Political Journey	In 1988, joined Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	20 November 1965 (Saturday)
Age (as of 2025)	60 Years
Birthplace	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Zodiac sign	Scorpio
Signature
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Hometown	Dhaka, Bangladesh
School	• BAF Shaheen School, Dhaka • St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Dhaka
College/University	• Dhaka Residential Model College, Dhaka • Adamjee Cantonment College, Dhaka • University of Dhaka, Dhaka
Educational Qualification	Bachelor's degree in Law and International Relations
Religion	Islam (Bengali Muslim)
Controversies	• 10-Truck Arms and Ammunition Haul (2004–2024) In 2004, authorities seized ten trucks full of arms and ammunition in Chittagong. Tarique Rahman was alleged to be involved in smuggling arms for banned groups. BNP claimed it was politically motivated. On 18 December 2024, the High Court acquitted key accused in the case. [1]Al Jazeera • The 2004 Dhaka Grenade Attack (2004- 2024) On 21 August 2004, during an Awami League rally The 2004 Dhaka grenade attack happened the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack happened that killed 24 people and injuring around 300, including Sheikh Hasina. However, during the initial investigation Tarique Rahman was not named in the case, but later in 2009 investigations under the Awami League government Tarique, was accused for being the mastermind. In 2011, he was officially charged, and in 2018, a special tribunal sentenced him to life in prison in absentia as he was abroad. The BNP denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. Finally, on 1 December 2024, the High Court released Tarique Rahman and others. [2]Dhaka Tribune • Hawa Bhaban Controversy (2007–2025) Tarique Rahman and several BNP leaders were accused of taking bribes from businessmen and rivals through Hawa Bhaban and laundering the money abroad. Investigations were conducted by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the FBI in the U.S., and courts in Singapore. A case was filed in Bangladesh in 2010 for bribery and money laundering. On 20 March 2025, the court acquitted Tarique Rahman, clearing him of all charges.igh Court acquitted both Tarique and Mamun, clearing them of all charge. [3]The Financial Post • Money Laundering Case (2007–2024) In June 2007, the ACC filed a money laundering case against Tarique Rahman and his associate Giasuddin Al Mamun. In 2013, a lower court acquitted him, but the High Court overturned this in 2016, sentencing him to seven years in prison and imposing a fine. Eventually, in December 2024, the High Court acquitted both Tarique and Mamun. [4]The Daily Star • Illegal Wealth Acquisition (2007–2025) Tarique Rahman, his wife Zubaida Rahman, and her mother were accused of having illegal assets beyond their declared income. A Dhaka court sentenced Tarique to nine years and Zubaida to three years, along with fines and asset confiscation. In October 2024, Zubaida’s sentence was temporarily suspended, and on 28 May 2025, both Tarique and Zubaida were acquitted of all charges. [5]The Business Standard • The Zia Charitable Trust corruption controversy (2008-2025) In 2008, Tarique Rahman and his mother former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was charged with corruption. It was alleged that about Tk 2.1 crore, they had taken for the Zia Orphanage Trust, was misused for personal purposes instead of being spent on the trust’s work. The trial began in 2011, and on 8 February 2018, a Dhaka court sentenced Khaleda Zia to 5 years in prison and Tarique Rahman to 10 years. Since Tarique was living in the UK, he was tried in absentia, and an international arrest warrant was issued against him. The verdict created huge political controversy—BNP called it politically motivated, while the Awami League said it was a fair legal step. Finally, on 15 January 2025, both Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, along with the other accused, were released of all charges. [6]BBC News
Social Media	• Instagram • Facebook • YouTube • Twitter
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Marriage Date	3 February 1994
Family
Wife/Spouse	Zubaida Rahman (Physician)
Children	Son- None Daughter- Zaima Rahman (Barrister)
Parents	Father- Ziaur Rahman (deceased) (Bangladeshi military officier, Politician) Mother- Khaleda Zia (Politician)
Siblings	Brother- Arafat Rahman (deceased) ( Bangladeshi cricket organizer) Sister- None

Some Lesser Known Facts About Tarique Rahman

• Tarique Rahman hails from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

• He belonged to a renowned Bengali Muslim political family of Mandals hailing from Bagbari in Gabtali, Bogra, Bangladesh.

• His father, Ziaur Rahman, was a Pakistani military officer who later became the President of Bangladesh, and his mother, Khaleda Zia, was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. His mother is the first female prime minister of Bangladesh.

• Tarique got involved in politics at a very young age and became a prominent member of BNP during his mother’s tenure as prime minister in the early 2000s.

• Initially, he joined politics as a primary member of the upazila branch of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Gabtali, Bogra in 1988, and changed the inherent culture of the BNP party to make politics more production and development oriented.

• He was also a member of the BNP’s National Campaign Strategy Committee, where he was responsible for coordinating the national election campaigns in five constituencies in which his mother, Khaleda Zia, was running.

• After the formation of the new government in the 1991 national election, Tarique was offered a higher position in the BNP; however, he denied the offer and decided to strengthen the BNP party at the grassroots level.

• In the 1996 national election, Tarique was asked to contest for a constituency seat from Bogura on a BNP ticket; however, he again declined the offer.

• From 1996 to 2001, during the Awami League’s rule, Tarique organized movements to oppose the government’s actions. He actively campaigned to address issues of economic hardship and initiated a nationwide consultation program to raise awareness about the struggles of people living in rural areas.

• During the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack against the then-opposition party, the Awami League, Tarique Rahman was considered the prime suspect and was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Bangladeshi Court.

• In 2008, he traveled to London for medical treatment at Wellington Hospital. He had provided a written promise to the caretaker government formed in 2007, after the political crisis in Bangladesh, in which he wrote that he would not engage in any future political activities. As a result, he was allowed to leave the country.

• On 8 December 2009, Tarique Rahman was elected as the Senior Vice Chairman of the BNP. A recorded speech by him also went viral, in which he described his arrest and torture during his detention by the 1/11 government, the military-backed caretaker government that took control of Bangladesh on January 11, 2007, during a major political crisis..

• In 2015, Tarique started a firm named White and Blue Consultants Limited, a public relations and communications firm. Initially, in the firm’s documents, he mentioned his nationality as British, but later in 2016 changed it to Bangladeshi.

• Some people, including government minister Md. Shahriar Alam used this as proof that he had taken British citizenship. However, Tarique denied this and even sent a legal notice to Alam, asking him to apologize for making such claims.

• During Sheikh Hasina’s government, Tarique was charged with multiple charges, including corruption, bribery, money laundering, illegal wealth acquisition, and grenade attacks. A total of 84 cases were filed against him after 2007. Although BNP claimed that all the charges against him were false.

• He was also accused of nepotism and is often described as the de facto leader of the opposition in Bangladesh.

• In 2024, after all the cases against him were lifted, he returned to Bangladesh and decided to support the reform process of the interim government after the fall of Sheikh Hasina.

• Recently, Tarique Rahman publicly announced that he will return to Bangladesh and also confirmed his intention to contest the national elections scheduled for February 2026. Some leaders of BNP openly said, if the party wins, Tarique will become the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

• Rahman is married to Zubaida Rahman, who is the youngest daughter of Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, former Chief of Naval Staff of the Bangladesh Navy. In 1995, after clearing the Bangladesh Civil Service exam, Zubaida became a government physician; however, she was fired by the Awami League government in September 2014 for being absent from work for six years.

• Since 2008, Tarique Rahman has been living in London.
  

  Tarique Rahman with his family

• He is an avid cat lover.
  

  Tarique Rahman with his cat