Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tariq Rahman is all set to take oath as the new prime minister of the country on February 17, nearly two years after a students-led uprising dethroned the then government of Sheikh Hasina.
In a deviation from tradition, the swearing-in will take place at the National Parliament complex's South Plaza instead of the presidential palace.
According to reports, Dhaka has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other regional leaders to attend the ceremony. There is no official word on the invitation yet.
Modi is unlikely to travel to Dhaka as he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17, PTI reported.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar or Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan is expected to represent India at the ceremony.
The BNP on Saturday said it looked forward to constructive engagement with India with a shared commitment to peace and stability in South Asia.
Thanking Modi for his congratulatory message on party’s win the recent elections, the BNP said in a post on X: "We look forward to engaging constructively with India to advance our multifaceted relationship, guided by mutual respect, sensitivity to each other's concerns, and a shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in our region”.
Dhaka’s invitation to Modi assumes significance given the strained relationship between the two countries following New Delhi’s decision to shelter ousted prime minister Hasina.
