Om Birla to Represent India at Bangladesh Government’s Swearing-In Ceremony

New Delhi/Dhaka: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected government of Bangladesh in Dhaka on February 17.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by its chairman Tarique Rahman, secured a decisive victory in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections.

In its statement, the MEA said, “The participation of the Hon’ble Speaker in this important event reflects the deep and enduring friendship between the people of India and Bangladesh and reaffirms India’s steadfast commitment to the democratic values that bind our two nations.”

The statement further added, “As neighbours connected by shared history, culture, and mutual respect, India welcomes the formation of the elected government in Bangladesh under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, whose vision and values have received strong public support.”

Members elected to Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election will take oath on Tuesday, February 17. The oath ceremony will be administered in the morning by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin.

Sources from the Office of the Chief Adviser of the interim government, the Law Ministry, and the BNP — which is set to form the next government — confirmed the development to leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.

The 13th parliamentary election was held on Thursday, and the Election Commission issued the official gazette notification of the winning candidates on Friday night. Preparations for the swearing-in ceremony are already underway at the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat. Traditionally, the ceremony takes place in the designated oath room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Secretary of the Secretariat, Kaniz Moula, confirmed that arrangements are being made for the ceremony on the evening of February 17.

Voting for 299 out of 300 seats in the 13th parliamentary election was held on February 12. The Election Commission announced unofficial results for 297 seats. However, following a High Court order, gazette notifications for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 have not yet been issued.

According to the declared results so far, the BNP won 209 out of 297 seats in the February 12 election and is leading in two additional seats — Chattogram-2 and 4 — where results have been withheld. Its allies claimed three seats.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats, while partners in its 11-party electoral alliance won nine seats. Prothom Alo reported that Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) won one seat, and seven seats were secured by independent candidates.

Tarique Rahman is now set to lead Bangladesh — the country last had a male Prime Minister nearly 35 years ago. Experts, however, have cautioned that the new government faces significant challenges, including political unrest and rising Islamic radicalism, issues that marked the 18-month tenure of the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.