Zaima Rahman pledges to engage with people to help rebuild Bangladesh

Published : Tuesday, 23 December, 2025 at 5:04 PM Count : 97

Zaima Rahman, daughter of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and granddaughter of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, said she wishes to contribute to rebuilding Bangladesh and understand the country better by connecting directly with people.

She made the remarks in a personal Facebook post on Tuesday (23 December) in which she shared reflections on her family, roots and journey ahead of her return to Bangladesh.

Recalling memories of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Zaima Rahman said in her post: “One of my most cherished memories of my Dadu captures her fiercely loving and loyal matriarchal role in our family. When I was around eleven, our high school team won a football tournament. My mother took me straight to Dadu’s office so that I could show her my medal and tell her about it myself. As I animatedly recounted my goalkeeping ‘heroics’, I was keenly aware of how attentive and proud she was. So much so that she would share that childhood story with others.”

I always understood that my Dadu carried the weight of a nation on her shoulders. To millions she was the Prime Minister, but to me and my cousins, she was ‘Dadu’ first. She always cared, always made time for her loved ones, always uplifted us, especially in the moments that mattered to us.

Those moments became my first lessons in leadership: of humility, sincerity, and the willingness to listen.

Barrister Zaima, “Seventeen years away from Bangladesh have been transformative, but I never forgot to tend to and cultivate my roots. Why? Because we are shaped by what we anchor ourselves to - to our culture, community, and identity. Like many second and third generation Bangladeshis abroad, I have lived in more than one world. London grounded me and gave me a global perspective, but Bangladesh always remained my focus.”

Academia taught me discipline, but what shaped me most were the people, stories, and the responsibilities that came with them when practising law. Every case, every client, every conversation is profoundly personal to someone. Sometimes, showing someone that they are seen and understood is enough, especially when they have felt unheard by the halls of justice for far too long. Standing beside someone on one of the hardest days of their life teaches you more about integrity and empathy than any classroom ever could. Each stage of my London journey has shaped how I think and who I strive to be.

I never met my Dada, but I have always known of the integrity and patriotism with which he lived and worked. My Dadu and Abbu have carried that legacy forward. During the mass uprising and in the evolving period after 5 August, I remained in the background, helping where I could, listening more than speaking, and doing my best to ease their burden in everyday acts and small instances of support.

Returning home carries many emotions. I long to be beside my Dadu, Insha’Allah, and to support my Abbu throughout this campaign period. I hope to give back to my country in whatever ways I can. I want to see Bangladesh be rebuilt and thrive, as it should. I want to rediscover my homeland through my own eyes and lived experiences, to connect with people face to face, because that is the sincerest way to understand another’s perspective, just as I have been taught.

I know that my family has long been met with a mix of curiosity and expectation, sometimes hopeful, sometimes critical. Those expectations follow me now as well. Feeling that weight is something we can all relate to, in our families, friendships, and communities.

So, this is my journey, told in my own way. If it resonates with you, perhaps we can walk it together.

FP/MI