DHAKA, Feb 16: Tarique Rahman is set to be sworn in as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister on Tuesday after leading the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a decisive victory in the country’s 13th general election.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, breaking with the long-standing tradition of holding it at Bangabhaban.
Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath to the new cabinet at 4:00 pm, following the swearing-in of newly elected Members of Parliament earlier in the day.
The BNP secured 209 out of 297 contested seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats, according to the Election Commission.
Rahman, 60, will become prime minister for the first time, replacing interim government chief Muhammad Yunus.
Yunus had overseen a tense period in Bangladesh’s relations with India and governed after widespread unrest followed the fall of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, ending her 15-year rule.
The election, held on February 12, came after months of political instability and security concerns, including attacks on minority communities. Hasina’s Awami League was barred from contesting. Voter turnout stood at 59.44 percent.
In a conciliatory gesture, Rahman visited political rivals, including Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman and National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam, to exchange greetings.
Four minority candidates from the BNP, including two Hindus and two Buddhists, were elected to parliament.
International dignitaries are expected at the ceremony, including India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and leaders from the Maldives, Türkiye, and Sri Lanka, reflecting regional interest in Bangladesh’s political transition.
Four Hindu minority MPs elected in Bangladesh
Four candidates from minority communities, including two Hindus, were elected to Bangladesh’s parliament in the recent general elections, all representing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is set to form the government under Tarique Rahman.
The two Hindu winners are Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, a BNP standing committee member, and Nitai Roy Chowdhury, a party vice president and senior strategist. Both defeated rivals from Jamaat-e-Islami in their respective constituencies.
The other two minority MPs-elect are Saching Pru, a Buddhist leader from the Marma community in Bandarban, and Dipen Dewan from the Chakma community in Rangamati.
Dewan defeated an independent Chakma candidate, while Pru overcame a nominee of the National Citizen Party (NCP).
According to the Election Commission, 79 minority candidates—mostly Hindus—contested the polls, with 67 nominated by 22 parties.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh fielded the highest number at 17. For the first time, Jamaat nominated a Hindu candidate, Krishna Nandi, who finished runner-up in Khulna-1.
Hindus constitute about eight percent of Bangladesh’s 170 million people.
The BNP won a two-thirds majority with 209 seats and nearly 50 percent of the vote, while Jamaat secured 68 seats, its best-ever performance. (PTI)
