Bangladesh invites 13 countries including India to swear in BNP government; who is on the list

BNP Paribas Chairman Tariq Rahman (AP)

Bangladesh is set to undergo leadership changes as the newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government led by chairman Tarique Rahman prepares to be sworn in on Tuesday.Before the chief adviser of the interim government was sworn in Muhammad Yunus ANI quoted Prothom Alo as saying that leaders of 13 countries have been invited to attend the ceremony.

Invited countries include India, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan, the report said.The ceremony will be held at the South Square of the National Assembly following the party’s landslide victory in the 2026 general election.Earlier, BNP leader ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan on Saturday expressed hope to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming ceremony while emphasizing the party’s inclusive foreign policy vision of “friendship to all and ill will towards no one”.Addressing reporters in Dhaka, Milan said of inviting South Asian leaders to the event, “I don’t know what exactly they are doing, but hopefully they will invite everyone. I don’t know the specifics, but he (Prime Minister Modi) should be invited. It’s common courtesy. The organizers will do that. I hope the whole world is with us.”BNP also thanked Prime Minister Modi for his congratulatory message after the party’s victory. In a post onThe BNP stressed the importance of bilateral relations and expressed its intention to work closely with New Delhi in the coming years. “We look forward to engaging constructively with India to advance our multifaceted relationship, guided by mutual respect, sensitivity to each other’s concerns, and a shared commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.”Bangladesh’s 2026 general election on February 12 is the first since mass protests in 2024 led to the ouster of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina. The BNP secured the 151 seats needed to form a government in the 300-seat parliament, with Rahman named prime minister-designate and Jamaat-e-Islami becoming the main opposition. Voter turnout was about 59%, and a constitutional referendum on governance reform was passed.