The Crossbill News Desk
India will be represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the swearing-in ceremony of Tarique Rahman as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday (February 17), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi unable to attend due to prior commitments. Modi is scheduled to host French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai for bilateral talks during the same period.
Macron is visiting India this week to co-host the AI Impact Summit, described as the largest such gathering in the Global South.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the external affairs ministry announced Birla’s participation.
“The Hon’ble Speaker’s participation at this important event underscores the deep and enduring friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh, reaffirming India's steadfast commitment to the democratic values that bind our two nations,” the statement read.
The statement also welcomed Bangladesh’s transition to an elected government under Rahman’s leadership, noting that his “vision and values have received an overwhelming mandate of the people”.
New Delhi’s decision comes amid efforts to recalibrate ties with Dhaka following a period of strain during Muhammad Yunus’s interim administration.
Bilateral relations had been tense, with India raising concerns about alleged mistreatment of Hindus and other minorities, while the interim government dismissed the accusations as exaggerated. Diplomatic friction had escalated recently, with both sides summoning each other’s envoys during a spike in tensions.
Against this backdrop, India sought to ensure senior-level representation at the ceremony as part of a broader outreach to the incoming Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government.
Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar were considered for the visit before Birla was finalised as New Delhi’s choice. He will be accompanied by foreign secretary Vikram Misri. Jaishankar had travelled to Dhaka on December 31 to attend the funeral of former BNP president Khaleda Zia.
Rahman’s BNP secured a landslide victory in the country’s first general election since the July 2024 student uprising that led to the ouster of long-serving prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile in India.
Shortly after the results were declared, Modi congratulated Rahman on X and later spoke to him by phone.
“I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” Modi said.
Bangladesh’s newly elected lawmakers are set to take their oath in Dhaka, with Rahman’s cabinet also scheduled to assume office later in the evening.
Invitations for the ceremony were issued by the interim government on Saturday night to several countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan, in addition to India.
Public sentiment in Bangladesh has also posed challenges for bilateral ties. Sections of the youth population have expressed resentment toward India, accusing it of backing Hasina’s government.
Tensions spilled into the streets following the fatal shooting of Osman Hadi, a leader of the July 2024 student movement, amid allegations that those responsible had crossed into India.
Macron is visiting India this week to co-host the AI Impact Summit, described as the largest such gathering in the Global South.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the external affairs ministry announced Birla’s participation.
“The Hon’ble Speaker’s participation at this important event underscores the deep and enduring friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh, reaffirming India's steadfast commitment to the democratic values that bind our two nations,” the statement read.
The statement also welcomed Bangladesh’s transition to an elected government under Rahman’s leadership, noting that his “vision and values have received an overwhelming mandate of the people”.
New Delhi’s decision comes amid efforts to recalibrate ties with Dhaka following a period of strain during Muhammad Yunus’s interim administration.
Bilateral relations had been tense, with India raising concerns about alleged mistreatment of Hindus and other minorities, while the interim government dismissed the accusations as exaggerated. Diplomatic friction had escalated recently, with both sides summoning each other’s envoys during a spike in tensions.
Against this backdrop, India sought to ensure senior-level representation at the ceremony as part of a broader outreach to the incoming Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government.
Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar were considered for the visit before Birla was finalised as New Delhi’s choice. He will be accompanied by foreign secretary Vikram Misri. Jaishankar had travelled to Dhaka on December 31 to attend the funeral of former BNP president Khaleda Zia.
Rahman’s BNP secured a landslide victory in the country’s first general election since the July 2024 student uprising that led to the ouster of long-serving prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile in India.
Shortly after the results were declared, Modi congratulated Rahman on X and later spoke to him by phone.
“I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” Modi said.
I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 13, 2026
This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership.
India will continue to stand in support of a democratic,…
Bangladesh’s newly elected lawmakers are set to take their oath in Dhaka, with Rahman’s cabinet also scheduled to assume office later in the evening.
Invitations for the ceremony were issued by the interim government on Saturday night to several countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan, in addition to India.
Public sentiment in Bangladesh has also posed challenges for bilateral ties. Sections of the youth population have expressed resentment toward India, accusing it of backing Hasina’s government.
Tensions spilled into the streets following the fatal shooting of Osman Hadi, a leader of the July 2024 student movement, amid allegations that those responsible had crossed into India.
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