13th parliament: Bangladesh embarks on a new journey under Tarique Rahman

Members elected in the 13th national parliament election are set to take oath on Tuesday morning, with the swearing-in of the new cabinet scheduled for the afternoon.

The ceremonies will formally mark the establishment of an elected government following the student–public uprising on 5 August 2024.

Bangladesh now begins a new chapter under the premiership of Tarique Rahman.

According to the national parliament secretariat, the oath-taking of newly elected members of parliament and members of the constitutional reform council will commence at 10:00 am in the oath chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The cabinet will be sworn in at 4:00 pm.

Traditionally, cabinet oath ceremonies have been held at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban. This time, however, the event will take place in the open air at the South Plaza of the parliament complex, an unprecedented and symbolically significant departure in the country’s political history.

The chief election commissioner, AMM Nasir Uddin, will administer the oath to members of parliament. Although this responsibility ordinarily rests with the parliament speaker, the decision has been taken in accordance with constitutional provisions in the post-uprising context. The president, Mohammad Shahabuddin, will administer the oath to members of the cabinet.

Approximately 1,200 domestic and international guests are expected to attend, including representatives from India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries.

In the 12 February election, held in 299 of the 300 parliamentary constituencies, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured an outright majority with 209 seats. Its chairman, Tarique Rahman, is assuming the office of prime minister for the first time.

Public attention is now focused on the formation of the cabinet. Various media outlets, including Prothom Alo, have carried reports in this regard in recent days, but party leaders have offered no definitive information. Tarique Rahman is personally overseeing the cabinet’s formation, assisted by several members of the BNP’s standing committee.

BNP leaders said they are very careful about forming the cabinet taking into account their previous experiences. Senior figures who may be included are secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Selima Rahman, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed and Major (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. The name of former education minister Osman Faruk has also been mentioned.

There are also indications that younger leaders will also be entrusted with major responsibilities. Discussions have centred on joint secretaries general Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee and Humayun Kabir, former attorney general Md Asaduzzaman, and MPs Khandaker Abdul Muktadir (Sylhet-1), Anindya Islam (Jashore-3), Zakaria Taher (Cumilla-8) and Farzana Sharmin (Natore-1) as possible ministers or state ministers.

Among coalition partners, names under discussion include Andaleeve Rahman Partho of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Zonayed Saki of Ganosamhati Andolan and Nurul Haque of Gono Odhikar Parishad.

It is also planned that a specialised team within the Prime Minister’s Office will monitor overall governance and cabinet performance, drawing on experienced professionals from home and abroad.

Political observers note that following the fall of an authoritarian Awami League government during the July 2024 uprising, Bangladesh is embarking on a new journey under Tarique Rahman’s leadership.

After more than a decade and a half of political repression, the BNP led sustained opposition movements culminating in the July uprising. An interim administration headed by professor Muhammad Yunus subsequently assumed responsibility and oversaw last Thursday’s election, which was widely described as festive, free and credible, resulting in a decisive BNP victory.

In recent remarks, Tarique Rahman has emphasised national unity, political and economic stability, the rule of law and the restoration of public order, messages that have generated cautious optimism.

BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told newspersons on Monday that the party’s principal focus would be national unity and economic and political stability.

Analysts suggest that the BNP now has a significant opportunity to reshape the country’s trajectory. The extent to which integrity, competence and vision are reflected in the cabinet’s composition will be critical.

Speaking about this, former caretaker government adviser Tapan Chowdhury told Prothom Alo, “As a businessman and entrepreneur, my primary expectation is that the new government will swiftly introduce measures to restore business confidence. Morning shows the day. The government will have to send early signals.”

There are discussions about the president, parliament speaker, leader of the house and deputy leader.

Today, 17 February 2026, marks a moment that inevitably recalls earlier milestones. Forty-six years ago, on 16 April 1979, Tarique Rahman’s father, Ziaur Rahman, took office as president, steering the country from one-party rule back to a multiparty political framework. His cabinet comprised 42 members.

Thirty-four years ago, on 19 March 1991, his mother, Khaleda Zia, became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister. She was sworn in by then acting president justice Shahabuddin Ahmed. Her first cabinet had 31 members; when she assumed office for a third time in 2001, it comprised 60.

The parliament secretariat has issued invitations to elected MPs for the oath ceremony and advised them to collect their passes from the front desk at the main tunnel entrance of the parliament building. The secretariat also requested them to bring their national identity cards along with them.

Amid intense speculation and high public expectations, Bangladesh stands on the threshold of a new governmental chapter. Political analysts and observers believe that the composition and early actions of the new cabinet will offer the clearest indication of how a party long in opposition intends to exercise the responsibilities of state power.