Rahman served as the forest and environment affairs secretary of the BangladeshNationalist Party. He served as the mayor of Khulna of 17 years and ten months in three consecutive terms. He was a shareholder and director of Destiny-2000. He was disqualified from contesting in the 2008 Mayoral election of Khulna as he had been convicted of a crime and the election was won by the Awami League backed candidate Md. Moniruzzaman Moni. It was the first time since 1973, when M. A. Bari won, that an Awami League candidate was elected Mayor of Khulna City.