Bangladesh Extends Invitation To PM Modi For Tarique Rahman’s Swearing-In
Dhaka has formally invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Tarique Rahman as Bangladesh’s new Prime Minister on February 17. The event follows the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) decisive victory in recent national elections, where the party secured a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The invitation, delivered through diplomatic channels on February 14 by Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, comes shortly after a telephone conversation between Mr. Modi and Mr. Rahman following the announcement of the election results.
According to reports in Bangladesh media and statements from BNP Foreign Affairs Advisor Humaiun Kobir, leaders from at least 12 other countries have also been invited. These include SAARC nations such as Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, along with China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, and Brunei. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay are expected to travel to Delhi on February 18 for a separate event.
Government sources indicate that Prime Minister Modi is unlikely to accept the invitation personally due to a packed schedule. He is set to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17, followed by his role as chair of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit in Delhi. In his absence, India is expected to send a senior representative, possibly a minister, Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, or Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The ceremony marks a significant political transition in Bangladesh, with the BNP returning to power after two decades. Mr. Rahman, BNP chairman and son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is positioned to lead the new government.
This outreach reflects efforts to engage regional and international partners as the new administration prepares to assume office.