Tarique Rahman assumed office as Bangladesh’s 11th Prime Minister on Tuesday following his party’s commanding victory in the 13th parliamentary elections.
The Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) took the oath at a ceremony held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament in Dhaka.
Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office. Shortly afterwards, senior BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, joined the new cabinet.
Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed also took office as members of the council of ministers.
The 50-member council of ministers comprises 25 cabinet ministers and 24 state ministers, alongside three technocrats.
Several newcomers entered ministerial ranks for the first time. Some secured positions immediately after winning their maiden parliamentary contests, according to the leading daily Prothom Alo.
Earlier in the day, all 209 victorious BNP candidates were sworn in as Members of Parliament.
However, they declined to take the Constitution Reform Council oath.
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the party chief instructed newly elected MPs not to sign the council’s declaration, as they had not been elected to that body, reported The Daily Star.
In response, parties within the 11-member alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan and the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), initially refused to take parliamentary oaths.
They cited the BNP’s position on the Constitution Reform Council. Subsequently, the Jamaat-led alliance, independent lawmakers and Islami Andolan Bangladesh proceeded to take the oath.
Six newly elected NCP MPs later followed suit.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin administered the parliamentary oath in accordance with constitutional provisions.
This marked the first instance in Bangladesh’s history where a CEC conducted the swearing-in of MPs.
The 13th parliamentary poll took place on February 12 across 299 constituencies, alongside a referendum on the July National Charter.
The BNP secured 209 seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami won 68. Rahman, elected from two constituencies, vacated Bogura-6 and retained Dhaka-17.
Analysts caution that his administration must address unrest and rising Islamist extremism that intensified during the 18-month interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
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