Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the majority party in the 13th National Parliament, was sworn in as Prime Minister on Tuesday, February 17.

He took the oath at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building this afternoon, with President Md. Shahabuddin administering the oath. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani conducted the oath-taking ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by outgoing interim government chief advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus, Maldives President Dr. Mohammed Muizzoo, Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, representatives of various foreign countries, members of the Advisory Council, Chief Justice Zubair Rahman Chowdhury, judges, diplomats, and leaders of various political parties.

Parliamentary Oath-Taking

Earlier, BNP lawmakers took the oath as members of parliament at the swearing-in hall of the Parliament Building at around 10:45 am. The oath was administered by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. Although they took the oath as MPs, they did not take the oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council.

Later, MPs from the 11-party alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), and independent members took the oath at the same venue. The 11-party alliance MPs also took the oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council. The oath was administered by the CEC.

Election Results and Seat Distribution

Voting in the 13th National Parliament election on February 12 was held in 299 of 300 seats. The Election Commission announced unofficial results for 297 seats, while results for two Chittagong seats — Chittagong 2 and Chittagong 4 — were not announced due to court orders.

BNP won 209 of 297 seats, and its candidates are also ahead in the two seats where results have been postponed. BNP’s partners won three seats.

Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats, while other partners in the Jamaat-led 11-party electoral alliance won nine seats, including six for the NCP and two for Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis.

Islami Andolan, Gana Adhikar Parishad, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Gana Sanghati Andolan, and Khelafat Majlis won one seat each, while independent candidates won the remaining seven seats.