Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been named in the TIME magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2026, in recognition of his leadership, courage, and contribution to the restoration of democracy.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the list published by the New York-based weekly also contains the names of US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Pope Leo XIV, Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah, and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In his profile, TIME editor-at-large Charlie Campbell noted that Tarique Rahman was living a carefree life of exile in leafy southwest London just a few months ago. However, the 2024 ousting of Bangladesh's autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina propelled the 57-year-old scion from opposition agitator to national leader in waiting - a destiny he fulfilled in February by winning an electoral landslide after 17 years estranged from his homeland.
It was a victory that meant Tarique Rahman followed in the footsteps of his mother, Begum Khaleda Zia, who was Bangladesh's first female Prime Minister and who passed away just five days after his return to Dhaka. Rahman's grief was still raw when he sat down with TIME in January, though he vowed to channel it into unifying his country of 175 million, while getting South Asia's second biggest economy buzzing again. Bangladesh is facing high inflation and youth unemployment, and relations with regional superpower India have reached a historic low, all of which require swift remedy.
Sharing the information on his verified Facebook account, Prime Minister's Adviser on Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Mahdi Amin, described the recognition as a 'historic moment' and a 'democratic milestone' for Bangladesh. He emphasized that the global magazine recognized Tarique Rahman's leadership, courage, and contribution to what he described as the restoration of democracy on the international stage.
The adviser remarked that in difficult times when democracy was restricted, people did not have the right to vote, and there was no freedom of speech, Tarique Rahman came forward with determination, courage, and unwavering faith. He instilled hope, strengthened the voice of the people, and spoke as the voice of the oppressed.
Under his leadership, Bangladesh has returned to the path of democracy after overcoming many struggles. His role in establishing free and fair elections, freedom of expression, protection of human rights, and the rule of law is recognized on the world stage today. Mahdi Amin stated that the Prime Minister is working relentlessly according to his plan announced on his homecoming to build a non-discriminatory, inclusive, and integrated Bangladesh.
The inclusion of the Prime Minister in this list by TIME is a strong recognition of his long fight for democracy, struggle, and charismatic ability to lead the country. Mahdi Amin declared, "This honour from TIME belongs to all of us. It belongs to every citizen of Bangladesh who believes that democracy is invincible and that the power of the people never gives up. This global recognition is the victory of democracy, the victory of the people, the victory of Bangladesh. Alhamdulillah."