Not PM Modi But Om Birla And Vikram Misri To Attend Tarique Rahman’s Oath-Taking Ceremony

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will attend Tarique Rahman's oath ceremony in Dhaka.
• PM Narendra Modi will skip the event due to his scheduled meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
• India's high-level representation signals continued engagement with Bangladesh's new government.

India will be represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh's Prime Minister-designate Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on February 17.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who received the invitation recently, will not be able to attend due to a prior diplomatic engagement in Mumbai.

India to send high-level delegation

Officials said the decision to send the Lok Sabha Speaker and India's top diplomat reflects New Delhi's intent to remain closely engaged with Bangladesh's new leadership. The oath ceremony follows the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's decisive victory in the recent parliamentary elections.

India's representation at the ceremony:

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to attend

BNP victory and Rahman's return

The ceremony comes after the BNP secured a strong mandate in the 13th parliamentary elections, winning over 200 seats and returning to power after years in opposition. Tarique Rahman, who recently returned from long exile in London, is set to take charge as prime minister following the swearing-in of newly elected MPs earlier in the day.

Rahman has emphasised national unity, economic recovery and strengthening democratic institutions in his early statements after the victory.

Regional outreach and invitations

Invitations for the ceremony have been sent to leaders and representatives from 13 countries across South Asia and the Middle East. BNP leaders described the outreach as part of a broader effort to strengthen regional diplomacy and engagement.

The evening ceremony will take place at the National Parliament complex in Dhaka, where Rahman and his cabinet are scheduled to take oath.

India-Bangladesh ties in focus

India was among the first countries to respond after the election results, with PM Modi holding a phone conversation with Rahman and congratulating him on the victory. The upcoming visit by India's senior representatives is being seen as a signal of continuity in bilateral engagement and a step towards strengthening ties with the new administration in Dhaka.