Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister
New leader takes office as parliament convenes, ending 18-month interim rule after 2024 uprising and political transition
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh’s newly elected parliament convened, with lawmakers taking the oath of office and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman formally sworn in as the country’s prime minister following a decisive election victory last week.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin administered the oath to newly elected members of parliament in Dhaka, marking the start of the 13th parliament and the restoration of an elected government after an 18-month interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Rahman, 60, was sworn in during a televised ceremony presided over by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, pledging to uphold the constitution and lead the government in accordance with the law.
Cabinet members were also sworn in, completing the transition of power from the interim government formed after the 2024 mass uprising that toppled the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The BNP and its allies secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the election, winning at least 212 seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami and allied parties also gained representation. The Awami League, which ruled for 15 years, did not participate in the vote after being sidelined following the uprising.
Lawmakers gathered inside parliament earlier in the day to take their oath, with hundreds of citizens assembling outside the parliamentary complex amid tight security, reflecting strong public interest in the country’s political transition.
Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman, returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom. His inauguration makes him Bangladesh’s first male prime minister in more than three decades, following a period dominated by rival female leaders Hasina and Zia.
The elections followed a student-led and youth-driven uprising in July 2024 that forced Hasina to flee the country amid deadly unrest in which around 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured.
The interim government led by Yunus oversaw reforms and organized the vote, widely seen as a pivotal moment in Bangladesh’s political trajectory.
Foreign reactions have begun to pour in, with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulating Rahman and expressing hopes for closer bilateral ties, signaling a potential reset in relations between Dhaka and Islamabad after years of strained diplomacy.
The new government now faces expectations of political reform, economic stabilization, and institutional rebuilding following years of contested governance and unrest, with observers describing the election and oath-taking as a critical turning point in Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
