Dhaka, Feb 17 (PTI) Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, marking the end of the 18-month rule of the interim government which took charge after the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina regime in August 2024.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to 60-year-old Rahman at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad instead of Bangabhaban, in a departure from a long-standing tradition.
Rahman, the son of former premier Khaleda Zia and late President Ziaur Rahman, returned home two months ago after living in London in self-exile for 17 years. He will serve as the prime minister for the next five years.
Earlier in the day, Rahman was elected as leader of the parliamentary party by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawmakers.
President Shahabuddin also administered the oath to the new members of the Cabinet at the ceremony, attended by several leaders from neighbouring countries, including India and Pakistan.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla represented India at the swearing-in ceremony. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accompanied Birla.
The BNP bagged 209 out of 297 seats, while right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats in the 13th Parliamentary elections held on February 12 after a period of tumultuous political vacuum, instability and fragile security situation. The Awami League was barred from contesting polls.
The result was a major turnaround for the BNP, long targeted under the 15-year rule of the Awami League government which collapsed following nationwide student-led protests in August 2024.
Earlier in the day, newly elected lawmakers of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) took oath as members of parliament (MPs). Rahman has become the prime minister for the first time. He replaced the interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, under whose tenure Dhaka’s relations with New Delhi witnessed a significant downturn.
Yunus took charge in August 2024 after the collapse of the Awami League regime.
In a post-election press conference, Rahman called for “national unity” and “peace” in the national interest, warning that divisiveness would undermine democracy. He said the country faces a fragile economy, weakened institutions, and a deteriorating law and order situation.
“Our paths and opinions may differ, but in the interest of the country, we must remain united. I firmly believe that national unity is our collective strength, while division is our weakness,” he said.
He said the new government faces two major challenges – tackling the economy and ensuring good governance. PTI ZH/AR ZH ZH ZH
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