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Feb 17, 2026 2:03 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramandeep Kaur with files from The Canadian Press
Tarique Rahman has been sworn in as the new prime minister of Bangladesh following a decisive election victory by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. President Mohammad Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to Tarique Rahman at the parliament complex on Tuesday, formally ending 18 months of interim administration in the country.
Alongside the prime minister, 25 cabinet ministers and 24 state ministers also took their oaths, marking the formation of a new government. The transition follows last Thursday’s general election in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured 209 of the 299 contested seats, well above the 150 required for a parliamentary majority.
Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman, returned to Bangladesh two months ago after spending 17 years in London. His return to active politics was closely watched both domestically and internationally, given his family’s longstanding role in the country’s political landscape.
The new administration now faces the task of stabilizing governance after the extended interim period and addressing key national issues, including economic management and political reconciliation.
