After Begums, it's Rahman in Dhaka: Bangladesh gets first male PM in 36 years

Bangladesh will on Tuesday swear in its first male prime minister in 36 years, as Tarique Rahman takes oath at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad. The moment marks a historic political shift after decades of leadership by Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.

The last male prime minister was Kazi Zafar Ahmed, who served from August 1989 to December 1990. He was succeeded by Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who became the country's first female prime minister in 1991. She served from March 20, 1991, to March 30, 1996, and again from October 10, 2001, to November 2006. She also briefly held office after the controversial February 1996 election.

Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League went on to serve from June 1996 to 2001, and then from January 6, 2009, to August 5, 2024, becoming Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister with over 15 years in office. She won four parliamentary elections - in 1996, 2008, 2014, and 2018 - consolidating Awami League dominance before resigning and fleeing to India in 2024 following mass protests and political unrest.

Taken together, both Khaleda and Hasina ruled Bangladesh for 36 years. 

Rahman, 60, now steps into that lineage after leading the BNP to a decisive victory in the 13th parliamentary elections held on February 12. His party secured 209 out of 297 seats, while right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats. Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was barred from contesting the polls.

The election followed a prolonged period of political vacuum and instability under interim chief Muhammad Yunus, who took charge in August 2024 after the collapse of Hasina's government. Yunus's 18-month tenure saw relations between Dhaka and New Delhi deteriorate significantly.

Breaking from long-standing tradition, Rahman's swearing-in ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Parliament Complex instead of Bangabhaban. 

President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath to the new cabinet members on Tuesday afternoon. "The Parliament Secretariat is set to hold the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet members at 4:00 pm tomorrow," Secretary of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat Kaniz Maula said on Monday.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent India at the ceremony, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary-General of Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh.

The son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and BNP founder, late President Ziaur Rahman, Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh two months ago after 17 years in self-imposed exile in London. Though he has not previously held public office, analysts say his family background shaped his political instincts.

After his party's victory, Rahman visited the homes of political rivals, including Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman and National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam.

At a post-election press conference, he called for unity. "Our paths and opinions may differ, but in the interest of the country, we must remain united. I firmly believe that national unity is our collective strength, while division is our weakness," he said.

When asked how he would reconcile with millions of Awami League supporters, Rahman replied, "By ensuring the rule of law".

The BNP has invited around 1,200 domestic and foreign guests to the ceremony. Maldives President Mohammed Muizzoo, Turkish Undersecretary Beris Ekinci, and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa are among those expected to attend.