Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman on February 17 took oath as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, after being elected as the leader of the BNP parliamentary party. Apart from Rahman, 25 ministers and 24 state ministers also took oath. The BNP cabinet has 50 members, with 25 ministers 24 state ministers, and three technocrats. Among the 25 ministers, 17 are new faces, with all state ministers also holding the position for the first time. PM Rahman is also a cabinet member for the first time.
The BNP bagged 209 out of 297 seats in the Bangladesh Parliament, while the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami, once their ally and now their primary rival, won 68 seats in the February 12 elections. Deposed PM Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was banned from contesting the polls.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla represented India at Rahman’s swearing in ceremony. Birla reached Dhaka earlier today, and was accompanied by foreign secretary Vikram Misri and other officials. Upon his arrival, Birla was received by Bangladesh foreign ministry secretary Nazrul Islam. The Lok Sabha speaker said this was an “important moment” which would strengthen people to people ties and shared democratic values between India and Bangladesh.
Earlier, interim government leader Muhammad Yunus resigned on February 16. The interim government had been running the country after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in July, 2024.
“Today, the interim government is stepping down. But let the practice of democracy, freedom of speech, and fundamental rights that has begun not be halted,” Yunus said in his farewell address to the nation before handing over to an elected government.
