Bangladesh polls: BNP plans to invite PM Modi to the swearing-in ceremony
DHAKA — The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), aiming to form the next government, intends to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The move signals the party’s desire to engage constructively with India and to strengthen the multifaceted relationship between the two neighboring nations.
Newly elected MPs are expected to take their oaths by February 17, according to cabinet secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdul Rashid on Saturday. Senior BNP leaders indicated that Saarc leaders, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other heads of government from Saarc countries, will receive invitations to the ceremony. It would mark only the second time, after Modi’s 2014 swearing-in, that a gathering of South Asian leaders would attend such an event.
"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," BNP said in response to Modi’s message on his verified X account. "Thank you very much. We greatly appreciate your kind acknowledgement of Tarique Rahman’s leadership in securing the BNP’s decisive win in the national elections."
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman said the country’s foreign policy will prioritize the interests of Bangladesh and its people. When questioned by an Indian journalist, he stated, "The interests of the people of Bangladesh and the country come first; we will determine foreign policy with serious consideration of their needs." Rahman also expressed a desire to revive Saarc, noting that it was initiated by Bangladesh.
The BNP chief warned that the nation is beginning its journey amid a fragile economy left by an authoritarian regime, weakened constitutional and statutory institutions, and a deteriorating law-and-order situation. The interim government will oversee the swearing-in ceremony, but the exact date and guest list have not yet been finalized.
