Tarique Rahman Set to Become Bangladesh’s Prime Minister After BNP Victory

After a landslide victory in the national election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawmakers have formally elected their chief, Tarique Rahman, as the leader of parliament and the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Rahman’s Ascent to Power

Tarique Rahman was formally elected as the next Bangladesh Prime Minister in the BNP parliamentary party meeting held after newly elected MPs took the oath of office at the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament building) in Dhaka on Tuesday. Rahman is set to grab over from the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which has steered the country of 170 million people for 18 months since the overthrow of the previous government led by Sheikh Hasina.

Rahman will become Bangladesh’s first male head of government in 35 years. His ascent to power signals the end of an era in Bangladeshi politics dominated by Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. Zia became the country’s first female prime minister in 1991 and served multiple terms. Hasina went on to become the longest-serving prime minister in Bangladesh’s history, holding office across successive mandates beginning in 1996 and later in 2008, 2014, 2018, and 2024.

Swearing-In Ceremony and International Response

Around 1,200 dignitaries from Bangladesh and abroad are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected government, scheduled to take place on Tuesday at 4:00 pm at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka. President Mohammad Shahabuddin will administer the oath of office, installing the BNP in power.

The BNP coalition won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance in the 13th parliamentary election. Jamaat, which secured more than a quarter of seats in parliament—a fourfold increase on its previous best—has challenged results in 32 constituencies. Although, Jamaat leader Shafiqur Rahman has also said the Islamist party would “serve as a vigilant, principled, and peaceful opposition.”

Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party was barred from taking part in the elections. The 78-year-old ousted leader, who was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, has termed the elections “illegal.”

Foreign Policy and Dynastic Politics

The BNP has declined the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government’s proposal to take a second oath as members of the “Constitution Reform Council” to endorse the referendum staged simultaneously with the general election. India has praised the BNP’s “decisive win”—a notable shift after deeply strained ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, congratulating Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory and assuring India will continue to stand in “support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh.”

The BNP asserted that Bangladesh’s foreign policy will prioritize the country’s interests. Rahman, the 60-year-old scion of one of Bangladesh’s most powerful political dynasties, won a landslide victory in the February 12 elections. His victory marks a remarkable turnaround for a man who only returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in Britain.

Background: The 2024 Uprising

The election follows the 2024 uprising that resulted in up to 1,400 deaths, according to the United Nations, and led to Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country. The unrest ultimately led to the toppling of the previous government.