Bangladesh : PM Modi Likely To Be Invited To Tarique Rahman’s Swearing-In As Dhaka Eyes Reset

14th February 2026 at 3:15 PM

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Dhaka : Bangladesh Nationalist Party plans to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the swearing-in ceremony of its leader Tarique Rahman following the party’s victory in the Bangladesh elections. Sources familiar with the matter said preparations are under way to invite regional heads of state to the ceremony, with PM Modi expected to be among the key invitees.

The development comes a day after Prime Minister Modi publicly confirmed a conversation with Tarique Rahman. PM Modi wrote, Delighted to speak with Mr Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections. He added, “I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. Emphasising bilateral ties, the Prime Minister said, As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples.

The BNP leadership is considering extending invitations to all major regional state heads for the swearing-in ceremony, positioning the event as a platform for diplomatic outreach. If the invitation is formally sent and accepted, Modi’s presence at the ceremony would mark an important moment in India-Bangladesh relations under the new political leadership in Dhaka.

The outcome is widely seen as paving the way for political stability after months of unrest that followed the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-led uprising in August 2024. Rahman, son of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, is expected to be sworn in as prime minister. He returned to Dhaka in December after spending 18 years abroad. His father ruled Bangladesh from 1977 until his assassination in 1981 and remains a prominent figure in the country’s independence-era politics.

The election marked the first since Hasina fled to neighbouring India. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, 85, had been serving as interim head of government following her departure. Hasina, now in exile in New Delhi, had dominated Bangladesh politics for years alongside Khaleda Zia, Rahman’s mother and a former prime minister. The Awami League, which governed for 15 years but was barred from contesting this election, had earlier recorded a larger mandate of 230 seats in 2008.