Tarique Rahman Set to Become Bangladesh’s New Prime Minister
The political landscape in Bangladesh is set to undergo a significant change as Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is poised to take oath as the country’s new Prime Minister. This comes after a resounding victory for his party in the recent general elections.
In a departure from tradition, Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony will take place at the South Plaza of the Parliament Complex, rather than the usual venue of Bangabhaban. President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath to Rahman and his new cabinet members on Tuesday afternoon, as reported by the state-run BSS news agency.
The Parliament Secretariat has announced that the oath-taking ceremony for the new cabinet members will be held at 4:00 pm, following the swearing-in of Parliament Members (MPs) at 10:00 am at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Complex. Additionally, BNP has scheduled a parliamentary party meeting at 11:30 am at the Parliament Building to elect the parliamentary party leader.
Salah Uddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP’s standing committee, confirmed that Tarique Rahman will be the Prime Minister as the leader of the majority party. Rahman’s ascension to the position marks his first term as Prime Minister, replacing interim government chief Muhammad Yunus.
International dignitaries are also expected to attend Rahman’s oath ceremony, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla representing India. Other notable attendees include Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary-General of Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh. The event is set to be a momentous occasion, with leaders from various countries showing their support for Bangladesh’s new leadership.
The recent parliamentary election saw the BNP secure 209 out of 297 seats, with the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party securing 68 seats. Following his party’s victory, Rahman extended gestures of goodwill by visiting the homes of his political rivals, including Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman and National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam.
The election marked a significant turning point for Bangladesh, coming after a period of political turmoil and instability. The 13th parliamentary election on February 12 saw a voter turnout of 59.44%, with four minority candidates, including two Hindus, winning seats in the elections.
Notable minority MPs-elect from the BNP include Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Nitai Roy Chowdhury, both representing the Hindu community. The other minority MPs-elect are Saching Pru, a senior BNP leader of Buddhist faith, and Dipen Dewan from the Buddhist Chakma ethnic minority group.
With approximately eight percent of the population being Hindus in Bangladesh, the representation of minority communities in the parliament is a positive development for inclusivity and diversity in the country’s political landscape.
International leaders, including Maldives President Mohammed Muizzoo, Turkish Undersecretary Beris Ekinci, and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, are expected to attend Rahman’s oath ceremony, highlighting the significance of Bangladesh’s political transition on the global stage.
