Tarique Rahman swears in as Bangladesh’s 11th PM
Bangladesh entered a new political chapter on Tuesday as Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the country’s 11th Prime Minister, marking the return of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to power after nearly 20 years.
At 3:58 pm, Tarique entered the venue with his wife, Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, to a standing ovation. Dressed in a black pinstripe suit and white shirt without a tie, he appeared confident and composed.
Minutes later, President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath. The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, lending a solemn tone to a historic afternoon.
Ministers take the oath
Following the Prime Minister, 25 cabinet ministers were sworn in: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, Dr Khalilur Rahman (technocrat), Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Abdul Awal Mintu, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Zahir Uddin Swapan, Mohammad Aminur Rashid, Afroza Khanam Rita, Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anee, Asadul Habib Dulu, Md Asaduzzaman, Zakaria Taher, Dipon Dewan, ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, Sardar Sakhawat Hossain, Fakir Mahbub Anam and Shaikh Rabiul Alam.
They were followed by the state ministers, who also took the oath: M Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Md Shariful Alam, Farhad Hossain Azad, Shama Obaid Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Md Aminul Haque, Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Habibur Rashid Habib, Rajib Ahsan, Md Abdul Bari, Mir Shahe Alam, Zonayed Saki, Ishraque Hossain, Farzana Sharmin, Shaikh Faridul Islam, Nurul Haq Nur, Yasir Khan Chowdhury, M Iqbal Hossain, MA Muhit, Ahmed Sohel Manzur, Bobby Hajjaj and Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam.
A break with tradition
In a departure from long-standing practice, the swearing-in ceremony was held at the South Plaza of the Parliament complex instead of Bangabhaban, underscoring the scale of the occasion.
The event was attended by outgoing interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, members of the Advisory Council, Chief Justice Zubair Rahman Chowdhury, the Chief Election Commissioner, Supreme Court judges, service chiefs, political leaders, diplomats and senior civil and military officials.
Diplomatic sources said representatives from 13 countries – including China, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan – were invited. India was represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Pakistan by its Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
A new political chapter
The ceremony followed a decisive electoral victory in which the BNP secured 209 seats, while its alliance partners won three more, giving the coalition a commanding majority.
As the oaths concluded and applause echoed across the South Plaza, the message was unmistakable: a new government has begun its journey – carrying both a powerful mandate and towering expectations.