Tarique Rahman Oath Taking Ceremony: Bangladesh is preparing for a political transition as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by chairperson Tarique Rahman, gets ready to form the next government following a decisive electoral victory. The new administration is scheduled to take oath on Tuesday in a ceremony that is set to draw regional and international attention.
According to reports, interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus has invited leaders from 13 countries to attend the swearing-in at the South Plaza of the National Parliament in Dhaka. The guest list includes India, China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla will represent India at the oath-taking ceremony in Dhaka.
Key Timings of Rahman’ Swearing-In Ceremony
The day will begin at 10 am local time, when the newly elected Members of Parliament will take their oath. In a first for the country, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin is expected to administer the oath to 297 lawmakers.
The main ceremony will take place at 4 pm. During this event, President Mohammed Shahabuddin will swear in Prime Minister-elect Tarique Rahman along with the first members of his cabinet.
In a break from past practice, the event will not be held inside the main chamber. Instead, it will take place at the South Plaza of the National Parliament complex. The change in venue has been made to host a large gathering of around 1,200 guests.
Tarique Rahman Oath Ceremony: Full Guest List
The ceremony is also being seen as an important diplomatic moment for the incoming government. Several senior leaders from the region and beyond are expected to attend. These include Om Birla, Speaker of India’s Lok Sabha; Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay; Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal; Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma; Maldives’ Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, with the possibility of President Mohamed Muizzu attending as well; Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa; and Seema Malhotra, the United Kingdom’s Indo-Pacific Under Secretary.
Road to victory for BNP
The ceremony follows the publication of the official election results by the Bangladesh Election Commission through a formal gazette notification. The BNP-led alliance secured a commanding majority, winning 212 of the 299 parliamentary seats contested in the 2026 general election.
In contrast, the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance managed 77 seats. The National Citizen Party, a youth-driven formation that played a role in last year’s political upheaval and contested as part of the opposition bloc, won six of the 30 seats it fielded candidates in.
New Delhi-Dhaka ties
Bangladesh is looking to recalibrate its relationship with India following the political change in Dhaka. Senior adviser to Rahman Humayun Kabir called for ties to be rebuilt on a “fresh footing” based on mutual benefit.
Kabir told PTI that the shift comes after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League exited power, signalling a new political phase for the country.
Kabir said India would need to acknowledge the new political reality in Bangladesh following the BNP’s decisive mandate and work constructively with the incoming leadership.