Dhaka, Feb 17 (.) BNP chairman Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s first elected male Prime Minister in 36 years on Tuesday, marking the party’s return to power after nearly two decades and a new chapter in a political landscape long dominated by two women – Sheikh Hasina and his mother, Khaleda Zia.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office and secrecy to Rahman at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in a glittering ceremony
Twenty five Cabinet ministers and 24 ministers of state also took their oath after Rahman, who was earlier in the day unanimously elected as the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) parliamentary party.
Key BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, were among those sworn in as ministers.
Kazi Zafar Ahmed was the previous elected male PM of Bangladesh and took office on August 12, 1989.
The BNP formed the new government after securing a landslide victory in the latest 13th National Parliamentary elections on February 12, winning a total 209 seats, while their former ally, the Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats and is now poised to become the country’s principal opposition party.
Jamaat-e-Islami was banned by the erstwhile Awami League regime of Sheikh Hasina. The ban was lifted during the term of the interim govt, which was formed after the fall of the Awami League administration on August 5, 2024.
All 212 MPs of the BNP-headed alliance, 76 MPs of Jamaat-led combine and seven independent MPs have taken their oath at the oath room of the Jatiya Sangsad
.
Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of self-imposed exile in London following his mother’s death. He called for national unity and peace, urging citizens to prioritise collective interests over division.
“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.
The new government faces pressing challenges, including restoring political stability, protecting minority communities, reviving the textile sector, and managing complex foreign relations with India, China, and Pakistan.
India was represented at the ceremony by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. . . VAN . .