Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladesh prime minister after BNP landslide

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday, along with newly elected lawmakers, marking a decisive political shift and the country’s first elected government since the deadly 2024 uprising.

Rahman succeeds an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which governed the country for 18 months after the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina was overthrown in 2024.

Lawmakers were sworn in earlier by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. President Mohammed Shahabuddin later administered the oath of office to Rahman and his cabinet.

Breaking with tradition, the swearing-in ceremony was held under the open sky at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the national parliament building, instead of Bangabhaban, the president’s official residence where such ceremonies are usually held.

Read: Ahsan Iqbal to attend BD PM’s oath taking

Rahman, 60, chief of the BNP and son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and assassinated president Ziaur Rahman, secured a decisive mandate after his party won a two-thirds majority in the February 12 elections, returning to power after nearly two decades.

“This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy,” Rahman said in his victory speech.
“This victory belongs to people who aspire to and have sacrificed for democracy.”

He warned of significant challenges ahead, including restoring political stability, rebuilding investor confidence and reviving key industries such as the garment sector, after months of turmoil that rattled the economy.

“We are about to begin our journey in a situation marked by a fragile economy left behind by the authoritarian regime, weakened constitutional and statutory institutions, and a deteriorating law and order situation,” he said.

In his first remarks after the election, Rahman urged calm and restraint, saying peace and law and order must be maintained at any cost, and warned supporters against retaliation or chaos.

Read more: Bangladesh’s BNP wins historic parliamentary election

The BNP-led coalition secured 212 seats in parliament, while Jamaat-e-Islami won a record 68 seats following the lifting of its ban after Hasina’s ouster. Jamaat and its allies, including the youth-led National Citizen Party, are set to form the opposition.

Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was barred from contesting the election after its registration was revoked by the Election Commission. Hasina, 78, who has been sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, remains in India and has rejected the election as illegal.

Despite weeks of turbulence ahead of the polls, voting day passed without major unrest and the country has so far responded to the results with relative calm.

“If the BNP can do a good job with the economy, it will make everything else easier for the government,” Crisis Group analyst Thomas Kean said. “It will help to create a level of stability and address challenges beyond the economy.”

Ahsan Iqbal attends ceremony

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal arrived in Bangladesh to represent Pakistan at the oath-taking ceremony held today.

During his visit, Ahsan Iqbal met with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State House Jamuna on Tuesday, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations, the minister said in a post on X.

Iqbal said he “warmly congratulated Professor Yunus and the people of Bangladesh on the successful conduct of elections and the historic democratic transition” and conveyed Pakistan’s “sincere good wishes for continued stability, progress, and prosperity for Bangladesh under its new leadership.”

The discussions focused on opening a “new, forward-looking chapter in Pakistan–Bangladesh relations,” with emphasis on trade, direct air connectivity, and people-to-people contacts. “The current regional and geopolitical environment demands greater economic cooperation, connectivity, and collaboration between our two countries,” Iqbal wrote.

Iqbal also acknowledged Professor Yunus’s global work in social entrepreneurship and invited him to Pakistan to further cooperation in youth empowerment, innovation, and sustainable development.

“Pakistan and Bangladesh share deep cultural, historical, and social affinities. It is time to transform these affinities into structured economic partnerships, academic exchanges, and regional cooperation,” Iqbal added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was invited to attend the ceremony, but he was unable to participate due to his official visit to Austria. In his place, Iqbal travelled to Dhaka for the ceremony.