Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, marking a major political transition in Dhaka after recent parliamentary elections that ended a prolonged period of political uncertainty.India was represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who met the new PM after the swearing-in ceremony. Birla handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who invited Rahman along with his family to visit India at a mutually convenient time.Birla later said he conveyed “warm congratulations on behalf of the people of India” and reaffirmed commitment to strengthening ties between the two neighbours.In his letter, Modi congratulated Rahman on BNP’s electoral victory and said it reflected the “trust and confidence reposed by the people of Bangladesh in your leadership”. He emphasised that India and Bangladesh shared a deep-rooted friendship based on history, culture and aspirations for peace and prosperity.The Prime Minister expressed readiness to work closely with the new government across connectivity, trade, technology, education, energy, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges, noting that both countries could become “catalysts for each other’s sustainable growth”.Rahman’s elevation to the top office signals a new phase in Bangladesh politics, with the BNP returning to executive authority after years in opposition. The transition is expected to reshape Dhaka’s domestic political alignment as well as its external partnerships, particularly relations with India, which had maintained close engagement with previous governments.Diplomatic sources said New Delhi’s decision to send the Lok Sabha Speaker — rather than a routine diplomatic representative — was intended as an early political outreach to the incoming administration and a signal of continuity in bilateral engagement despite political change in Dhaka.The new government in Dhaka is expected to prioritise economic stabilisation, institutional restoration and recalibration of foreign relations, with India among its first major bilateral partners.Meanwhile, Rahman’s Cabinet will have 25 ministers and 24 state ministers who also took oath along with their leader. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman and its Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher were made leader and deputy leader of the opposition.
