Bangladesh Nationalist Party Returns to Power After Two Decades; Tarique Rahman to be Sworn in as Prime Minister

Dhaka. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is formally returning to power on Tuesday after two decades. Following its decisive victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Elections held on February 12, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, who is becoming a Member of Parliament for the first time, is set to take the oath as Prime Minister.

The cabinet swearing-in ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Parliament Building. Breaking the decades-old tradition of holding the oath ceremony at the Presidential Palace, this event at the South Plaza will honor the contributions of the martyrs who lost their lives during the 2024 'Monsoon Revolution.' That very movement brought an end to the Awami League government's longest tenure.

On Tuesday, significant constitutional programs marking the formal start of the new parliamentary term and government formation process will take place at the Parliament Building. At 10:00 AM, the 297 newly elected MPs will be sworn in by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the Oath Room of the Parliament. Subsequently, they will assume membership of the Constitutional Reform Council.

Tarique Rahman and the BNP MPs will be the first to take the oath. Following them, it will be the turn of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, Gono Adhikar Parishad, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Gono Samhati Andolon, and independent MPs.

According to official results, the BNP won 209 seats, while its allies Gono Adhikar Parishad and Bangladesh Jatiya Party each won one seat. Gono Samhati Andolon has also secured representation.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has become the main opposition party with 68 seats, including its coalition partners National Citizen Party (6), Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis (2), and Khelafat Majlis (1). Islami Andolan Bangladesh won one seat, and independent candidates were victorious in seven constituencies.

Earlier on Friday, the Election Commission published the gazette for 297 out of 299 parliamentary seats. Results for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 are withheld due to legal complications, while voting was postponed in Sherpur-3 following the death of the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.

At 4:00 PM, President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath to the new cabinet members at the South Plaza. According to Parliament Secretariat Secretary Kaniz Moula, extensive preparations have been underway by the Cabinet Division and Parliament Secretariat since Saturday.

After the MPs take their oaths, the parliamentary party meeting of the BNP, which secured a full majority, will elect its parliamentary leader. The leader of the house will then meet the President to stake a claim to form the government.

Immediately after, the President will appoint the party leader as Prime Minister, who will then select their cabinet. In their capacity as Head of State, the President will first administer the oath to the Prime Minister, followed by the Ministers, State Ministers, and Deputy Ministers.

Around 1,000 guests, including foreign dignitaries, are expected to attend the ceremony. The presence of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and India's Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is confirmed. Foreign Ministers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan will also be in attendance.

Heads of government from more than a dozen countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, were invited. Modi will be represented by Om Birla due to the India-AI Impact Summit taking place in New Delhi from February 16-20.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is also likely to attend. Leaders from China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, and Brunei were also invited. invitation was extended.