Om Birla to represent India at Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in tomorrow

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s next prime minister, Tarique Rahman , scheduled for February 17 , underscoring New Delhi’s continued diplomatic engagement with its eastern neighbour during a significant political transition.

Bangladesh is set to witness a major change in leadership as Rahman , chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) , takes office following the party’s landslide victory in the February 12 parliamentary elections . The polls marked the first broadly free and competitive election since last year’s political upheaval , paving the way for the BNP’s return to power after nearly two decades .

Dhaka has invited leaders from 13 countries , including India, China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan , reflecting its effort to recalibrate regional and international ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a formal invitation and conveyed his congratulations to Rahman on the BNP’s electoral mandate, he is unlikely to attend the ceremony due to prior commitments, including bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17 . In his message, Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to peace, progress and prosperity for both countries and expressed readiness to work closely with Bangladesh’s new leadership.

In Modi’s absence, Birla’s presence as Speaker of the Lok Sabha signals India’s intent to maintain institutional continuity and diplomatic goodwill with Dhaka as the new government assumes office.

Rahman is expected to formally take charge after the swearing-in of newly elected Members of Parliament earlier in the day , bringing to a close a prolonged period of political uncertainty and opening a new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations .