Will Prime Minister Modi attend Bangladesh's invitation to Tarique Rahman's swearing-in ceremony?

People familiar with the situation said on Saturday that Bangladesh has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a number of other regional leaders to the swearing-in ceremony of Tarique Rahman, the country's next prime minister, which is set for February 17. Dhaka has reportedly already informed New Delhi of its plan. However, there has been no official confirmation so far.

People familiar with the situation said on Saturday that Bangladesh has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a number of other regional leaders to the swearing-in ceremony of Tarique Rahman, the country's next prime minister, which is set for February 17. Dhaka has reportedly already informed New Delhi of its plan. But as of yet, no formal confirmation has been made.

According to the BNP, invitations to the swearing-in ceremony have been sent to 13 nations, including India. China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, and Bhutan are among the other countries invited.

Since he has a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on February 17, Prime Minister Modi is unlikely to visit Dhaka. A senior government official may instead represent New Delhi at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh's next prime minister, according to people familiar with the situation.

In a phone conversation with Rahman earlier Friday, Prime Minister Modi congratulated the leader of the BNP on his party's outstanding win in the Bangladeshi parliamentary elections. PM Modi said following the call, "I expressed my best wishes and support in his endeavor to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh."

"I reaffirmed India's continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples as two close neighbors with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties," he continued.

On Thursday, 299 out of 300 constituencies in Bangladesh held their 13th parliamentary elections; the results for two seats were withheld.

After almost 20 years, the BNP returned to power with a landslide victory, taking 209 of the 297 seats that were announced. With 68 seats, the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami, which is regarded as being close to Pakistan, became the second-largest force.

The former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League was not allowed to run in the elections. According to the polls, 59.44% of people cast ballots.

The elections, which were held in the midst of a protracted period of political unpredictability and precarious security conditions, were widely followed. The vote came after months of unrest brought on by student-led demonstrations, which ended Hasina's 15-year rule in August 2024. During this time, there were also reports of numerous attacks on minorities, which increased both domestic and foreign anxiety about Bangladesh's political transition.