BNP to Invite Modi to Swearing-In
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Dhaka
- Feb 14, 2026
- 610
Following a decisive electoral mandate, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) President Tarique Rahman addressed the media for the first time, articulating a policy framework anchored in national interest, regional recalibration, and institutional restoration.
Foreign Policy: Primacy of National Interest
Responding to queries regarding India–Bangladesh relations, Rahman underscored that Dhaka’s external engagements would be guided unequivocally by Bangladesh’s sovereign interests. While avoiding rhetorical escalation, he signaled a recalibrated bilateral posture premised on reciprocity and strategic parity.
On China, Rahman characterized Beijing as a “development partner” integral to Bangladesh’s infrastructural and economic trajectory.
He expressed confidence that Sino-Bangladeshi cooperation would continue on a mutually beneficial basis, positioning China as one among several pivotal stakeholders in the country’s modernization drive.
Addressing the status of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in India, Rahman stated that any potential repatriation would be contingent strictly upon due legal process, thereby framing the issue within juridical—not political—parameters.
Revitalizing Regionalism: SAARC Reengagement
Rahman reiterated Bangladesh’s foundational role in the creation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and expressed intent to initiate diplomatic consultations aimed at reviving the moribund regional bloc. Upon assuming office, he indicated, his government would engage member states to explore pathways for reactivation, signaling a renewed commitment to South Asian multilateralism.
Law, Order, and Democratic Accountability
Domestically, Rahman adopted a firm tone on governance. He pledged uncompromising enforcement of law and order, warning that any attempts to destabilize public peace would be met with strict legal consequences. The rule of law, he asserted, would be applied uniformly and without political discrimination.
Framing the election as a democratic inflection point, Rahman declared that “freedom and rights have been restored in their true sense,” contending that the newly constituted Parliament represents an authentic popular mandate after more than fifteen years.
He emphasized that the incoming government would be accountable to the electorate and vigilant against any resurgence of authoritarian tendencies.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged formidable structural challenges ahead, including a fragile economy, constitutional vulnerabilities, and deteriorated public order—issues he suggested would require both institutional reform and broad-based political cooperation.
Electoral Arithmetic and Political Landscape
According to Prothom Alo, the BNP-led alliance secured 212 of the 299 parliamentary seats, a commanding majority.
The 11-party coalition led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami captured 77 seats. This marks the BNP’s return to power after nearly two decades, following the prolonged tenure of the Awami League government under Sheikh Hasina from 2008 to 2024.
Rahman himself contested and won two constituencies, consolidating his leadership within the party and the broader alliance.
Diplomatic Signaling: Invitation to Modi
In a notable diplomatic gesture, BNP General Secretary Humayun Kabir indicated that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be invited to Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony, tentatively scheduled for February 16 or 17.
The proposed invitation has been described as an overture of goodwill, though New Delhi has yet to issue an official response.
Regional reactions were swift. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly congratulated Rahman, signaling subnational diplomatic warmth from India’s eastern corridor.
Historical Context: A Gender and Generational Shift
The anticipated premiership of Tarique Rahman would mark the first time in 35 years that Bangladesh has a male Prime Minister. The last was Kazi Zafar Ahmed in 1988. From 1991 to 2024, national politics was predominantly shaped by the leadership of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, underscoring the symbolic and generational transition this election represents.
Strategic Implications
The BNP’s victory signifies more than a routine alternation of power. It potentially recalibrates Bangladesh’s geopolitical alignment amid intensifying India–China competition, reopens the prospect of regional institutional revival through SAARC, and redefines the contours of domestic democratic governance.
The durability of this political transition will depend not merely on electoral legitimacy but on the administration’s capacity to stabilize macroeconomic fundamentals, reinforce constitutional safeguards, and sustain an inclusive, rules-based political order.