Before the 2018 parliamentary elections, foreign diplomats met with BNP leaders at a luxury hotel in Dhaka. Their question was - who would be the prime minister if your party formed the government? At that time, the party’s chairperson Khaleda Zia was in prison and acting chairman Tarique Rahman was in London, so the BNP could not give a good answer.
The question is coming to the fore again after seven years. But this time, the discussion is not just about BNP, but also about who can become the prime minister if there is another party or alliance, who is qualified, etc. If the 13th national election is held in February as announced by the interim government, then this discussion will come to the fore even more.
After August 5, 2024, BNP, as the largest party, was ahead in the power talks. That is why there is more discussion about BNP. In a recent speech, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “If our party chairperson Khaleda Zia is healthy and fit to work, then she will be the prime minister. In her absence, our chairman Tarique Rahman will be. There is no disagreement or ambivalence about this.”
Many within the party believe that if the BNP gets the chance to form a government, it could follow the Saudi Arabian ‘king-prince’ model in terms of power structure. Khaleda Zia would remain as prime minister, while Tarique Rahman would be the government’s main force as a policymaker and administrative advisor.
However, a section of the party’s younger generation believes that the party’s future politics can be more modern and dynamic under the leadership of Tarique Rahman.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a major force among religious-based political parties, has already announced candidates for 300 seats. But it has not yet announced who will be the prime minister if it forms a government.
When asked about this, the party’s Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad told, “Let the elections be held, and then we will see who gets elected in the elections.”
The National Citizens Party (NCP), a youth political party formed in the spirit of the July coup, is also in the discussion for power. There are discussions that the party may participate in the elections alone or in an alliance. The party’s senior joint convener, Samantha Sharmin, told Daily Industry, “We have taken a policy decision to keep the party chief and the head of government separate. It would not be right to say at this time who will be the head of government if we are able to form a government.”
For more than a decade, the country has been practically a one-party state, with the Awami League consistently in power. But the party was ousted from power in the political landscape. Currently, their organizational activities are banned. The question of whether they will be able to participate in the next elections has not yet been decided.
Sources say that the party is in the process of restructuring. However, no official decision or announcement has been made on whether Sheikh Hasina will lead again or whether a new leadership will emerge. There are various ambiguities within the party regarding the ongoing discussions on the refined Awami League. Therefore, the discussion on whether the Awami League will participate in the elections or who will be the prime minister if it wins is now far away.
‘ The Prime Minister’s name should be announced and contested in the elections ‘ According to political analysts, the question of ‘who will be the Prime Minister’ in Bangladeshi politics is not only personal, but also a test of the democratic practices, policies and transparency of leadership elections of the parties. Political analyst Mohiuddin Khan Mohan told Jago News, ‘Among the three political parties that are currently being discussed about the possibility of forming a government, I think one party can get 10 to 15 seats, while the other party will not get any seats anywhere in the country. Only BNP can determine the next head of government.’
He further said, ‘If Khaleda Zia is physically healthy, then she will be the Prime Minister. And if that is not possible, then I think the government will be formed under the leadership of Tarique Rahman.’
International trade and political analyst Mobasher Hossain Tutul said, ‘The personality and leadership qualities of the head of government of any country have a significant impact on the running of the government. Therefore, if the name of the potential prime minister is made public, it is easier for voters to make a decision. This allows the elected leadership to run the government with confidence. Although in a parliamentary democracy, the cabinet is responsible for the overall running of the government, it is still clear to the public who the winning party is giving responsibility to as the chief executive, both the acceptability and accountability of the leadership increase.’
He further said, “The recent example of how much a personality crisis can create political instability is the UK, the birthplace of parliamentary democracy. By changing multiple prime ministers in a short period of time, the Tories created such instability that they were later defeated by the Labour Party in the general election. Therefore, in the interest of the stability of the government and the state and gaining the trust of the people, political parties should publicly announce the names of potential prime ministerial candidates and contest the elections.”
Political parties are not officially giving anyone an idea about the possible prime minister. Only BNP has clarified a little. As a result, diplomatic circles, media and political analysts are interpreting the possible outline of the country’s future leadership in their own way. So the real answer is still unresolved.
Those who have served as the country’s Prime Minister since independence :
Tajuddin Ahmed (17 April 1971-12 January 1972) - Awami League
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (12 January 1972-24 January 1975)-Awami League
Md. Mansur Ali (25 January 1975-15 August 1975)-Awami League
Mashiur Rahman (29 June 1978-12 March 1979) Jagdal/BNP
Shah Azizur Rahman (15 April 1979-24 March 1982)
Ataur Rahman Khan (30 March 1984-15 January 1985)-National Party/Jana Dal
Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury (9 July 1986-27 March 1988)-National Party
Moudud Ahmed (27 March 1988-12 August 1989) - Jatiya Party
Kazi Zafar Ahmed (12 August 1989-6 December 1990)-National Party
Khaleda Zia (20 March 1991, 1996 (short term) and 2001) - BNP
Sheikh Hasina (1996, 2008, 2014, 2018 and 2024)-Awami League
