Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has hinted that he will be supporting England in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, citing his long stay in the country without explicitly naming the team.
Speaking to journalists after an event at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon, Tarique was asked which nation he would be cheering for during the global football tournament.
Responding with a smile, he said, “I had been in a country for a long time; so you understand,” before asking the reporter, “Have you got the answer?”
His remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to England, where he lived for nearly 17 years before returning to Bangladesh late last year.
England, the 1966 FIFA World Cup champions, are set to begin their campaign against Croatia in a match scheduled for 2:00am Bangladesh time on Thursday.
Tarique left for London in September 2008 after obtaining bail from the Supreme Court and stayed there with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, while undergoing medical treatment and remaining active in politics from abroad.
He returned to Bangladesh on Dec. 25, 2025, after years in self-imposed exile, having previously served as the acting chairman of the party before assuming the office of prime minister.
