Bangladesh invites PM Modi to Tarique Rahman swearing-in: Will he attend?

Bangladesh invites PM Modi to Tarique Rahman swearing-in

• Bangladesh invites Modi, regional leaders to PM's swearing-in Feb 17
• Modi unlikely to attend due to meeting with Macron in Mumbai
• BNP's Tarique Rahman to become first male PM in 35 years

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The Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other regional leaders to attend the new prime minister’s swearing-in ceremony in Dhaka on February 17, people familiar with the development told Hindustan Times.

Authorities in Bangladesh have informally communicated the plan to New Delhi, though the official guest list has not yet been publicly confirmed.

The invitation was conveyed to the Indian side late Saturday, hours after BNP leaders indicated that heads of government from neighbouring countries would be asked to attend the inauguration.

However, Modi is unlikely to travel to Dhaka because he is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on the same day. Macron is visiting India to participate in an AI-focused summit and will begin his trip in Mumbai. Indian officials are expected to depute a senior representative, possibly the vice president or the external affairs minister, for the ceremony.

People aware of the discussions also said New Delhi does not want to appear to be moving too quickly toward a diplomatic reset with Dhaka, even though improving ties remains a priority. Another consideration is the optics of sharing a platform with Pakistan’s prime minister, who is also expected to be invited.

Regional outreach

Bangladesh plans to invite leaders from most member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), originally proposed by former president Ziaur Rahman, along with heads of government from countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Malaysia, and others.

According to officials, invitations have gone out to 13 countries: India, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Türkiye, the UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan.

The ceremony follows the BNP’s sweeping victory in the 13th parliamentary elections, ending the tenure of the interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus.

Newly elected members of parliament will take oath in the morning before the chief election commissioner, while the cabinet led by Rahman will be sworn in during an evening ceremony.

First contacts and foreign policy

In his first phone conversation with Rahman, Modi said he looked forward to working with the BNP leader to strengthen relations and advance shared development goals.

Rahman said on Saturday that his government’s foreign policy will focus on protecting the interests of Bangladesh’s people and “will not be country-centric.”

Rahman, 60, is set to become Bangladesh’s first male head of government in 35 years following the party’s decisive electoral victory.