Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday following a landslide victory for theBangladeshNationalist Party in the country’s 2026 general elections, marking a major political transition after a prolonged period of unrest and an interim administration. His elevation is historic: Rahman becomes Bangladesh’s first male prime minister in 36 years, ending a decades-long era in which the country’s politics was dominated by female leaders from rival camps.
Rahman took the oath of office at the Jatiya Sangsad complex in Dhaka, where President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the ceremony in the presence of senior political figures, diplomats and foreign observers. His party secured a commanding majority in parliament in the February 12 elections, widely seen as the first full national vote since the political crisis that led to the exit of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the installation of an interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
The BNP’s sweeping win returned the party to power after nearly two decades, with preliminary results indicating it secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
According to a report by Prothom Alo, official figures reveal that seventeen ministers and twenty-four state ministers are "new faces" who have never held such offices previously. In a historic first for his personal political career, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is also "becoming a member of the cabinet for the first time," having never held public office during his party's previous tenures.
Prothom Alo further detailed the widespread public engagement surrounding the transition. From the early afternoon, leaders and activists from various BNP wings, alongside citizens from across the country, converged on the capital. By 2:30 pm, Manik Mia Avenue was a sea of supporters and slogans as crowds gathered to "witness the swearing-in ceremony of the Council of Ministers."
The BNP, which has highlighted being a "victim of oppression and torture" for over fifteen years, successfully contested the elections held last Thursday under an interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus. The polls have been described by the party and observers as a "festive, fair and acceptable election."
Megha Rawat is an Assistant News Editor at Times Now, where she drives the national news narrative with sharp political reporting, election coverage a...View More
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