Islamabad (TDI): Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal will represent Pakistan at the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister-elect Tarique Rahman, scheduled to take place in Dhaka on February 17, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Monday.
Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), secured a sweeping victory in last week’s general elections, the first national polls since the violent 2024 uprising that brought an end to the long rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
In its statement, the FO said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would not be able to attend the ceremony due to prior overseas commitments.
“Pakistan’s participation in the ceremony reflects its support for Bangladesh’s democratic process and underscores its commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” the statement noted.
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Rahman, the son of former Bangladeshi president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, returned to Bangladesh in December after spending 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom.
According to the Election Commission, the BNP-led alliance secured an overwhelming two-thirds majority, winning 212 seats in the February 13 elections, while the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance captured 77 seats.
Following the announcement of the results, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz extended their congratulations to Rahman and the BNP.
Read More: Tarique Rahman Set to Become PM as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Concedes
President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Bangladesh’s sovereignty and democratic aspirations, while the prime minister expressed his desire to work closely with the new leadership to further strengthen what he described as the two countries’ historic and multifaceted ties.
