Can a dynastic heir lead a post-dynasty Bangladesh?

Former PM Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman is likely to lead the BNP in February elections. Will Bangladesh accept him?

Journalist and analyst based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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On Christmas Day this year, Tarique Rahman – the heir apparent of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the man many believe could be the country’s next prime minister – returned home and stepped directly into a power vacuum that has been steadily widening since the collapse of the Awami League government in August 2024.

Can a dynastic heir lead a post-dynasty Bangladesh?

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