The country entered a new political chapter on Tuesday afternoon as Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the 11th prime minister, marking the formal return to elected governance after 18 months of interim administration.
The oath-taking ceremony was held at 4pm at the South Plaza of the Parliament complex. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to Tarique following BNP’s decisive victory in the 13th parliamentary election held on 12 February, where the party secured more than a two-thirds majority.
Earlier in the morning, newly elected BNP members of parliament took their oaths, followed by members from Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party (NCP).
After the prime minister’s swearing-in, 25 cabinet ministers and 24 state ministers were administered the oath. Senior BNP leaders sworn in as cabinet members included Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
Several figures entered the cabinet for the first time, including AZM Zahid Hossain, Khalilur Rahman (technocrat), Abdul Awal Mintoo, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Khandakar Abdul Moktadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Jahir Uddin Swapan, Mohammad Amin ur Rashid (technocrat), Afroza Khanam Rita, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Md Asaduzzaman, Zakaria Taher Suman, Dipen Dewan, Fakir Mahbub Anam Swapan, Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bakul and Sheikh Robiul Alam.
State ministers sworn in included M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Md Shariful Alam, Shama Obaed Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Kaiser Kamal, Farhad Hossain Azad, Aminul Haque (technocrat), Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Habibur Rashid, Md Rajib Ahsan, Md Abdul Bari, Mir Shahe Alam, Zonayed Saki, Ishraque Hossain, Farzana Sharmin, Sheikh Faridul Islam, Nurul Haque, Yaser Khan Chowdhury, Iqbal Hossain, MA Muhith, Ahmed Sohel Manzur, Bobby Hajjaj and Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam.
The ceremony was attended by Nobel laureate and interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, along with members of the outgoing advisory council. The armed forces were represented by Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Rear Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan and Air Force Chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan.
The event drew notable foreign dignitaries, highlighting regional interest in the political transition. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla arrived in Dhaka on this occasion.
Representatives from the United Kingdom, Turkey, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka were also present. Among them were UK Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra, Turkey’s Under Secretary Beris Ekinci, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma and Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. Ambassadors representing China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia and Brunei attended the ceremony as well.
Outside Parliament, the atmosphere reflected both celebration and political theatre. From around 2:30pm, supporters gathered along Manik Mia Avenue, many arriving in processions with slogans. People from various professions and social backgrounds joined the crowds. Large digital displays and sound systems were installed to broadcast the ceremony live, while a cultural stage was set up at the opposite end of the road.
Public expectations are high. Many hope the new government will restore law and order, strengthen human rights protections and stabilise the economy. Yet the administration faces significant challenges as it assumes office.
Tarique’s political journey has been marked by exile and resurgence. In January 2007, during the army-backed caretaker government, he was arrested on corruption charges and spent 18 months in prison. He was released on 3 September 2008 and left for London on 11 September that year, where he remained for 17 years.
In 2009, while in the United Kingdom, he was elected BNP Senior Vice-Chairman and gradually took a leading role in reorganising the party. In 2018, when his mother and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was imprisoned, he was appointed acting chairman of the party. He returned to Bangladesh on 25 December last year, five days before her death. His return drew massive public gatherings, with supporters welcoming him in large numbers.
BNP last governed the country from 2001 to 2006. Two decades later, it has returned to office with a commanding parliamentary majority.
The broader political backdrop remains consequential. On 5 August 2024, a mass uprising led to the fall of the government of Sheikh Hasina after more than 15 years in power. BNP leaders have alleged that during that period opposition figures faced politically motivated cases and systematic suppression, and that key state institutions were weakened.
Now, with a decisive mandate and a full cabinet in place, Bangladesh stands once again under elected leadership — hopeful, expectant and acutely aware of the weight of history pressing upon the present.
