Bangladesh Parliament Sworn In; Tarique Rahman Set To Take Oath As PM

The newly elected members of the Parliament of Bangladesh were sworn in on Tuesday, with BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman set to take oath as Prime Minister later in the day. The ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Parliament Complex instead of the traditional venue, Bangabhaban.

According to official results, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance secured 211 of the 297 seats, while the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance won 77 seats. Independent candidates claimed seven seats.

Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, led the BNP to a landslide victory in the February 12 general elections after returning from 17 years in exile. He will become Bangladesh’s first male head of government in 35 years.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be attended by around 1,200 local and international guests. Confirmed participants include Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

The ceremony marks the end of the interim government led by Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus, who assumed office on August 8, 2024, following the fall of the Awami League government headed by Sheikh Hasina. In his farewell address, Prof. Yunus said, “The election was not just a process to hand over power. It marked the beginning of a new Bangladesh.”