Tarique Rahman is set to be sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday, Feb. 17, after leading the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a decisive victory in the country’s 13th general election. The ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, departing from the long-standing tradition of using Bangabhaban, and President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the cabinet oath at 4:00 pm following the swearing-in of newly elected members of parliament.
The Election Commission reported that the BNP won 209 of 297 contested seats, giving the party a two-thirds majority and nearly half the popular vote, while Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats — its best-ever showing. Voter turnout in the February 12 poll was 59.44 percent. Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was barred from contesting the election, which followed months of political instability and security concerns, including attacks on minority communities.
Rahman, 60, will take office for the first time, replacing interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, who led the caretaker administration after widespread unrest and the fall of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, ending her 15-year rule. Observers say the transition marks a major shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape and could reshape regional relationships that had been tense in recent months.
In a bid to project reconciliation, Rahman visited several political rivals ahead of the swearing-in, including Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman and National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam. Four minority candidates elected on the BNP ticket — two Hindus and two Buddhists — will enter parliament, a development noted amid concerns about minority security during the campaign.
The two Hindu MPs-elect are Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, a BNP standing committee member, and Nitai Roy Chowdhury, a party vice president and senior strategist; both defeated Jamaat-e-Islami opponents. The two Buddhist winners are Saching Pru from the Marma community in Bandarban and Dipen Dewan from the Chakma community in Rangamati; Pru defeated a National Citizen Party nominee and Dewan beat an independent Chakma candidate. According to the Election Commission, 79 minority candidates — mostly Hindus — contested the polls, with 67 nominated by 22 parties.
International interest in the transition is evident: India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and leaders from the Maldives, Türkiye and Sri Lanka are expected to attend the swearing-in, underscoring regional attention on Bangladesh’s new government. (PTI)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/02/17/tarique-rahman-to-take-oath-as-bdeshs-new-pm-today/
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Publish Date: 2026-02-17 07:02:00
