New Delhi: Bangladesh has invited leaders of 13 countries, including India, China and Pakistan, to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government to be formed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) after its victory in the parliamentary elections.
According to Bangladeshi media outlet Prothom Alo, Chief Adviser to the interim government Muhammad Yunus has extended invitations to heads of government of 13 nations ahead of the ceremony scheduled for Tuesday at the South Plaza of the National Parliament complex in Dhaka.
The new government will be led by Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, whose alliance secured more than a two-thirds majority in the 13th parliamentary elections held on February 12.
Who all are on the list
According to the report, citing sources, the invited countries include India, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan. The interim administration decided on the invitations after consultations with BNP’s policy-level leadership.
Elected members of parliament are scheduled to take oath on Tuesday February 17, with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin set to administer the oath.
Separately, senior BNP leader ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan expressed hope that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited to the ceremony, calling it a matter of “general courtesy” and reiterating the party’s foreign policy approach of maintaining friendly relations with all countries.
BNP thanks PM Modi for congratulatory message
Earlier the BNP also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for congratulating Rahman on the party’s poll victory and said it looked forward to constructive engagement with India to strengthen bilateral ties.
According to some reports, EAM S Jaishankar is likely to represent India for the oath taking ceremony.
The February 12 general election was Bangladesh’s first national vote since the 2024 mass protests that led to the exit of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Officials said voter turnout was about 59 per cent, and the BNP-led alliance crossed the majority mark in the 300-seat parliament, paving the way for government formation.