Bangladesh Oath Ceremony: ‘Tariq era’ begins in Dhaka! Bangladesh gets male Prime Minister after 36 years, oath will echo in South Plaza of Parliament

Dhaka/New Delhi. Today, 17 February 2026, is going to be recorded as a historical turning point in the politics of Bangladesh. The command of power, which revolved around the ‘two Begums’ (Khalida Zia and Sheikh Hasina) for more than three decades, will now be in the hands of Tariq Rehman. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tariq Rahman will take oath as the new Prime Minister of the country at 4 pm today. This ceremony is being organized in the ‘South Plaza’ of the people’s elected parliament instead of a royal palace, which is a big message in itself. 36 years of wait is over: First male Prime Minister. This is a big change in the history of Bangladesh. Since Qazi Zafar Ahmed left office in 1990, Bangladesh has had only female Prime Ministers (Khalida Zia and Sheikh Hasina). Tariq Rehman will be the first male Prime Minister to take charge of the country after 36 years. Historic victory: In the 13th parliamentary elections, BNP has secured a huge majority by winning 209 seats out of 297. Condition of the opposition: Radical Jamaat-e-Islami is in second place with 68 seats, while Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League remained out of this election. Oath in the South Plaza of Parliament: Decisions are long, apart from tradition. Breaking with time-honored tradition, the swearing-in ceremony is being held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad instead of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Bangabhavan). Reason: According to officials, the Durbar Hall of the Bangabhaban was falling short due to the huge number of guests (about 1,200 domestic and foreign guests). Schedule: At 9:30 am the newly elected MPs will take oath, followed by 4:00 pm at the inauguration of President Mohammad Shahabuddin, Tariq Rehman and their new Will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the Cabinet. Om Birla will represent India. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will participate on behalf of India in this important event of the neighboring country. Companions: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Lok Sabha General Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh will also be present with him. Why did PM Modi not go? Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also received an invitation, but could not attend today due to his important bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai and the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. India’s message: The Ministry of External Affairs said that Om Birla’s participation reflects the deep friendship between the two countries and India’s unwavering commitment to democratic values. The leaders of these 13 countries have also been invited by the new government of Bangladesh to strengthen regional cooperation. Apart from India, leaders of China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Brunei have also been invited.