DHAKA, Bangladesh – Newly elected lawmakers in Bangladesh were sworn in to parliament Tuesday, marking a formal transition of power following last week’s landslide victory by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and signaling the end of an 18-month interim government. The vote, the first since the 2024 student-led uprising that led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been hailed by many as a pivotal moment for the nation’s democracy.
Inside the parliament’s oath room, members pledged allegiance to Bangladesh as they were sworn in by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. The ceremony was attended by foreign dignitaries, including Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and the Speaker of India’s Parliament, underscoring the regional significance of the political shift.
Tarique Rahman is slated to take the oath as prime minister later today, formally assuming leadership after the BNP secured more than a two-thirds majority in the recent elections. The BNP won at least 212 seats in the 300-seat parliament, while the Jamaat-e-Islami party secured 77 seats. Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was barred from participating in the polls.
Hundreds of citizens gathered outside the parliament grounds throughout Tuesday, awaiting the proceedings. “People really want changes. They want to see new faces in parliament: People with good qualifications, even people who are younger,” Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury reported from Dhaka. “You’ll see a lot of new faces, and that’s what’s expected: They want new dynamics in parliament.”
The incoming government faces the immediate task of implementing the July National Charter, a sweeping set of reforms passed in a referendum held concurrently with the election. The charter, endorsed by over 60 percent of the electorate, introduces term limits for prime ministers, establishes a two-chamber parliament, and restricts the governing party’s ability to unilaterally amend the constitution.
Observers suggest the reforms are a direct response to the demands of the younger generation who spearheaded the 2024 uprising. “Lots of fundamental and primary change is expected by the population, particularly the younger population who were behind the July uprising,” Chowdhury said. “They want to be represented in this parliament, and their voices must be heard.”
The transition of power similarly comes amid a complex regional dynamic. According to his advisor, Humayun Kabir, Rahman intends to pursue a “reset” in Bangladesh’s relationship with India, urging New Delhi to acknowledge the changed political landscape. Kabir also reportedly characterized Hasina, who fled to India following the 2024 uprising, as a “terrorist” responsible for the deaths of over 1,500 people and called on the Indian government to prevent her or other Awami League figures from destabilizing Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other regional leaders to attend Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony, a gesture signaling the new government’s desire for regional engagement. Cabinet members are scheduled to be sworn in later Tuesday afternoon at 4pm local time (10:00 GMT).
