Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday after steering his party to a decisive win in the recent general elections.
The oath of office was administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, marking a break from the customary practice of holding the ceremony at Bangabhaban.
Earlier in the day, lawmakers of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party formally chose Rahman as their parliamentary party leader, paving the way for his appointment as Prime Minister.
Rahman and his cabinet took their oaths in the presence of senior political figures, diplomats, civil and military officials, and representatives from invited countries, including China, India and Pakistan.
BNP has bagged 209 out of 297 seats, while right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats in the 13th Parliamentary elections. Deposed premier Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was barred from contesting polls.
Rahman, 60, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and assassinated President Ziaur Rahman, takes office facing urgent challenges, including restoring political stability, rebuilding investor confidence, and reviving key industries such as the garment sector after the prolonged turmoil that followed the Gen Z‑led uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024.
ALSO READ: In Bangladesh, the BNP government will have its plate full
Jamaat and its allies — including the National Citizen Party, led by youth activists who played a prominent role in the movement that toppled Hasina — will form the opposition.
Rahman returned to Bangladesh on December 25 after 17 years of self-exile in London. In January, he was appointed as the party’s chairman, days after the death of his mother and long-time party chief Khaleda Zia following a prolonged illness.
