Dr. Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, is being considered to assume the role of the party’s acting chairperson. In that case, Tarique Rahman would become the party’s official Chairperson. With current Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia incapacitated and absent from politics, discussions about this possible leadership structure have intensified among BNP grassroots members and supporters.

Party insiders say that a Facebook post by Tarique Rahman—where he indicated his inability to take unilateral decisions about his return to Bangladesh—has triggered widespread debate over BNP’s future leadership. Many believe that if something happens to Khaleda Zia, the party will face severe pressure. While Tarique Rahman is seen as capable of managing such challenges, his return to the country appears unlikely in the near future. As a result, many leaders consider either Dr. Zubaida Rahman or their daughter Zaima Rahman as the most suitable alternatives.

Political analysts note that Dr. Zubaida, known for her clean public image, has long attracted attention in the country’s political circles. Her return alone is expected to create a new dynamic in national politics. Even if she does not participate directly, her presence in Bangladesh is being seen as an important development for nationalist politics.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman left Bangladesh in September 2008 during the military-backed caretaker government, taking education leave to accompany her husband Tarique Rahman to the United Kingdom for medical treatment along with their daughter Zaima. Seventeen years have passed since then, during which she was unable to return home. According to BNP leaders and activists, political conspiracy prevented her from returning all these years.

Just as the One-Eleven regime and subsequent Awami League governments filed cases and created political pressure against Tarique Rahman, his wife was not spared either. A Dhaka court convicted Zubaida Rahman in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), sentencing her to imprisonment and fines in 2023. The verdict was suspended in August last year after the student-public uprising triggered major political changes in Bangladesh. She has now returned to the country alongside her mother-in-law, Khaleda Zia.

Born in Sylhet, Zubaida Rahman is the daughter of late Rear Admiral (Retd.) Mahbub Ali Khan, who served as the Chief of Naval Staff during President Ziaur Rahman’s tenure and later held the posts of Minister of Communications and Minister of Agriculture under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Bangladesh’s Liberation War Commander-in-Chief General M A G Osmani was her uncle.

Zubaida graduated in medicine from Dhaka Medical College and completed her MSc in Medicine from Imperial College London. She topped the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination for doctors and joined government service in 1995. However, after extending her educational leave during her stay in London, she did not return to service, prompting the Ministry of Health to terminate her employment. BNP maintains that political vengeance was behind her dismissal.

Though politically aware, Dr. Zubaida has not yet engaged directly in politics. She has long been a significant support system for her husband Tarique Rahman and has appeared occasionally at social events, including the death anniversary of her father and programs organized by the Ziaur Rahman Foundation. She currently serves as the Chief Advisor of the Foundation’s Overseas Committee.