Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is set to take oath as Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, marking the party’s return to power after nearly two decades.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet will be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad in Dhaka at 4:00 p.m., according to local media reports.
297 newly elected Members of Parliament will also be sworn in by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Parliament’s oath room. While there were initial reports that MPs might also assume membership in a proposed Constitutional Reform Council, uncertainty remains over the legal basis for such a move. BNP leaders have indicated that the existing Constitution provides only for the swearing-in of MPs and does not mention a constitutional reform council.
The 13th parliamentary election was held on February 12, with polling conducted in 299 of the 300 constituencies. The Election Commission issued gazette notifications for most winning candidates on February 13, though notifications for two constituencies—Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4—remain pending following a High Court directive.
The BNP secured a commanding majority in the 300-seat Parliament, winning well over the 151-seat mark required to form government. The BNP-led alliance is reported to have won over 200 seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami emerged as the second-largest force with more than 70 seats. Smaller parties and independent candidates claimed the remaining constituencies. Bangladesh Awami League could not participate in the polling process, as the country’s Election Commission suspended the party’s registration.
Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, returned to active politics after 17 years in exile and led the BNP to a landslide victory.
Around 1,200 dignitaries from Bangladesh and abroad are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Among those slated to be present are Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. Representatives from Nepal, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom and possibly the Maldives are also expected to attend.
(With agency inputs)
