prison. In 1981, he served as a Presidium Member of Awami League. he was elected to the parliament in 1986 and was imprisoned the same year. In 1992, he was made the general secretary of Awami League. Rahman served as a Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives and the deputy leader of parliament in the Awami League government between 1996 and 2001. He was re-elected General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League in 1997. He was re-elected to Parliament in 2001. His wife, Ivy Rahman, was killed the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack. She was a leader of Bangladesh Awami League and its women's front the Mohila League. He served as the temporary President of Bangladesh Awami League during the 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis when President of Bangladesh Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, was imprisoned by the military backed caretaker government. He was re-elected to Parliament in 2008. Presidency Rahman was sworn in as the 19th president of Bangladesh on 12 February 2009. He was elected president of Bangladesh uncontested. In May 2009 in a meeting with the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he called for caution over the global recession and emphasized the importance of globalization. He was the Chief Scout of Bangladesh and expressed happiness over Bangladesh becoming the 5th largest scout country in the world during his term. As President he was the Supreme Commander of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. He had called for the modernizing of the Armed Forces. He called for improving ties between the Air Forces of South Asian countries. On 27 September 2010, Rahman appointed Justice A. B. M. Khairul Haque to be the 19th chief justice of Bangladesh. He called for their training to be improved to facilitate the modernization. In 2012, he asked the Organisation of Islamic Conference countries to pressure Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees. He called for expanding trade and diplomatic ties with Cuba after the Cuban ambassador to Bangladesh presented his credentials on 10 February 2012. On 28 January 2013, he criticised Bangladesh Nationalist Party, then the opposition party, for not participating in the parliament and carrying out their duties. Clemency power exercised by Rahman Rahman exercised his power to grant clemency to as many as 21 individuals while he was in office. In contrast, only four pardons were granted by his predecessors between 1972 and 2008. Among the people for whom Rahman exercised his clemency