Today, the glass-and-steel tower known as The Azure rises prominently in Dhaka’s upscale Banani neighbourhood, projecting the image of modern luxury and affluence. Yet, nearly two decades ago, this same plot of land housed a very different structure — Hawa Bhaban. Far from symbolising progress, Hawa Bhaban became synonymous with fear, corruption, muscle power and political intimidation. It served as the controversial political nerve centre of Tarique Rahman, then widely referred to as the “Dark Prince” of Bangladeshi politics and now widely viewed as the prime minister-in-waiting.
During the BNP–Jamaat-e-Islami government between 2001 and 2006, Hawa Bhaban functioned as an unofficial parallel seat of power, operating independently of formal state institutions. While Prime Minister Khaleda Zia governed from Ganabhaban, less than six kilometres away, Hawa Bhaban emerged as the place where many insiders believed the real decisions were made. Diplomats, intelligence officials, journalists and even senior BNP leaders later described it as a shadow authority that bypassed ministries, laws and constitutional processes.
According to contemporaneous accounts from the US embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission and local media, Hawa Bhaban became a hub where political influence was traded, state institutions were bent to private will, and rivals were neutralised. Businessmen reportedly queued up there to secure contracts, approvals and protection, while files were said to move faster than even in the Prime Minister’s Office. Political appointments, electoral strategies and alliances were allegedly engineered from within its walls.
Hawa Bhaban was also linked to some of the darkest episodes in Bangladesh’s recent history. Investigations and testimonies later alleged that it played a central role in plotting the August 21, 2004, grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina, then leader of the opposition, which killed 24 Awami League supporters and narrowly missed assassinating her. The building has also been associated with one of South Asia’s largest arms-smuggling scandals, involving the import of a massive consignment of weapons through Chittagong in 2004, allegedly destined for India’s separatist group ULFA, with the complicity of senior officials and intelligence agencies.
Seventeen years after leaving Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka on Thursday, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman, their pet cat, and close aides. Now 60, and having led the BNP from exile in London as its acting chairperson, he has returned to a politically volatile country as a central figure in the opposition and a potential future prime minister. His mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has been hospitalised since late November, and his return coincides with a major public address planned before a massive gathering in Dhaka.
Although Hawa Bhaban no longer exists physically, its legacy remains deeply embedded in Bangladesh’s political memory. The structure may have been dismantled, but the allegations of corruption, violence and unaccounted power associated with it continue to shadow Tarique Rahman’s political identity. Observers now question whether his return marks a moment of political redemption or signals a revival of the same practices that once defined his rise.
The label “Dark Prince” was not coined by political rivals or local media, but by US diplomats. In December 2005, then US Charge d’Affaires Judith A Chammas described Tarique Rahman using that term, citing his political clout, family legacy, and vast wealth allegedly amassed through Hawa Bhaban’s system of extortion and toll collection. Former US ambassador James F Moriarty went further, portraying him as a symbol of kleptocracy and violent politics, and even suggested restricting his entry into the United States. These assessments, later revealed through diplomatic cables, shaped how his role was perceived internationally.
During this period, Bangladesh repeatedly ranked as the world’s most corrupt country in Transparency International’s index. Major international lenders such as the World Bank withdrew funding from key development projects, citing rampant corruption. US diplomatic cables alleged that Tarique Rahman accumulated enormous illicit wealth through kickbacks, manipulation of state contracts and influence over judicial outcomes. Numerous companies were reportedly forced to pay commissions to secure power projects, infrastructure deals and legal favours.
Senior officials within the Prime Minister’s Office allegedly viewed Khaleda Zia’s protection of her son as her greatest political failure. Hawa Bhaban’s influence extended into cabinet formation, with reports suggesting ministerial posts were effectively sold and loyalty was ensured through patronage. By 2006, the cabinet had expanded significantly, creating a power structure where many senior figures were seen as beholden to Tarique Rahman rather than formal state authority.
Perhaps most troubling were allegations of links between Hawa Bhaban and extremist groups. Testimonies presented in court claimed that phone calls from Hawa Bhaban facilitated the release of militants, while meetings allegedly held there provided support for terrorist operations. The 2004 grenade attack and the Chittagong arms haul further reinforced suspicions of state complicity and political shielding of violent networks.
After Sheikh Hasina returned to power in 2009, Hawa Bhaban was dismantled, and dozens of cases were filed against Tarique Rahman. He left for London in 2008 under parole conditions and was later convicted in multiple corruption and terrorism-related cases, which the BNP has consistently described as politically motivated. Following the collapse of Hasina’s government in 2024, several convictions were overturned, reopening the path for his political return.
Now back in Bangladesh ahead of a crucial election, Tarique Rahman faces a complex and uncertain political landscape. While the BNP appears poised for a strong showing, new political forces, Islamist groups and shifting alliances complicate the road ahead. As he steps back onto Bangladeshi soil, the central question remains whether he can escape the long shadow of Hawa Bhaban, or whether its legacy of power, impunity and violence will continue to define his political future.
