Tareq Rahman to Take Oath as PM on Feb 17
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Dhaka
- Feb 15, 2026
- 16
A new chapter in Bangladesh’s political history is set to unfold on Tuesday, 17 February, as BNP Chairman Tarek Rahman is scheduled to take oath as the country’s Prime Minister. Following his party’s electoral victory, he addressed the media for the first time, outlining the prospective government’s policy priorities, foreign policy orientation, and approach to maintaining law and order.
The swearing-in ceremony has already generated considerable diplomatic activity. Invitations were extended to several heads of state and government, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, New Delhi has indicated that Modi will be unable to attend due to a pre-scheduled bilateral engagement with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on the same day. Instead, India will be represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Bangladesh has also invited most leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), alongside key strategic partners such as China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey—underscoring Dhaka’s intent to project an inclusive and regionally engaged diplomatic posture.
Departing from tradition, the oath-taking ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Complex in Dhaka rather than at the Presidential Palace. Political observers interpret this decision as a symbolic affirmation of parliamentary sovereignty and representative democracy.
Bangladesh played a pioneering role in the establishment of SAARC under the initiative of former President Ziaur Rahman, father of the incoming Prime Minister. Tareq Rahman has expressed his government’s intention to consult member states with a view to revitalising the regional bloc, a move that analysts believe could reinvigorate dialogue on regional cooperation, trade integration, and security coordination in South Asia.
Articulating his foreign policy vision, Rahman emphasised that his administration would pursue a people-centric and interest-driven diplomacy, refraining from alignment with any single power. He identified China as a pivotal development partner while reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to maintaining a balanced and multidimensional international engagement.
Regarding the possible repatriation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India, Rahman stated that the matter would be addressed strictly within the framework of legal procedures.
Taken together, the 17 February swearing-in represents more than a routine transfer of power. It signals the advent of a recalibrated regional diplomacy, renewed efforts to revitalise SAARC, and a pledge toward internal stability—marking what many analysts describe as the beginning of a transformative political era in Bangladesh.