PM Narendra Modi Invited To Attend Tarique Rahman’s Swearing-In As Bangladesh Prime Minister On February 17

• Bangladesh has invited PM Narendra Modi and regional leaders for Tarique Rahman's swearing-in on February 17.
• No official confirmation yet; India may send a senior representative instead.
• BNP secured a landslide in the 2026 elections, returning to power after nearly two decades.

Bangladesh has reportedly invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several regional leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman as the country's next prime minister on February 17. While Dhaka has conveyed its plan to New Delhi, there has been no official confirmation so far from either side.

Invitations sent to regional leaders

Sources indicate that Bangladesh has extended invitations to 13 countries for the ceremony, reflecting a regional outreach ahead of the new government taking office. The BNP has confirmed that Rahman will assume office on February 17 following the party's decisive election win.

Invited countries include: India, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan.

Will PM Modi attend?

Prime Minister Modi is unlikely to travel to Dhaka on the day of the ceremony due to his scheduled bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17. Officials suggest that India may instead be represented by a senior government functionary at the swearing-in.

Earlier, Modi spoke with Rahman over the phone and congratulated him on the BNP's victory in the parliamentary elections, expressing support for Bangladesh's development and reiterating India's commitment to shared peace and prosperity.

Bangladesh elections 2026

Bangladesh held its 13th parliamentary elections across 299 constituencies, with results from two seats withheld. The BNP won 209 of the 297 declared seats, marking a strong return to power after nearly 20 years.

The right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami emerged as the second-largest party with 68 seats. The Awami League, led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, did not contest the elections.
The polls saw a turnout of 59.44 per cent and were conducted amid ongoing political uncertainty following months of unrest and student-led protests that ended Hasina's long tenure in 2024.