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

India will be represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s prime minister-designate Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on February 17. The announcement was made by the Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday, confirming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be unable to attend due to prior commitments in Mumbai.

Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is set to take oath after his party secured a landslide victory in the February 12 general election, winning 212 of the 299 seats contested. The ceremony is expected to take place at the Southern Plaza of the Bangladesh Parliament House, with the oath to be administered by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

According to the external affairs ministry, Birla’s participation underscores the “deep and enduring friendship” between India and Bangladesh and reaffirms India’s commitment to democratic values. India is being represented by the Lok Sabha Speaker as he ranks immediately after the Prime Minister in the official order of precedence.

Prime Minister Modi had been invited to the ceremony but is scheduled to receive French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on the same day. Macron’s visit from February 17 to 19 includes bilateral talks and participation in the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

Bangladesh has invited heads of government and senior representatives from 13 countries, including members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and other friendly nations. Rahman will assume office after the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus steered the country following the political transition in August 2024.