Bangladesh invites Indian PM Modi to Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in

The invitation to Narendra Modi is part of a wider regional outreach

Dhaka has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman in what is being seen as the incoming government’s first calculated diplomatic overture.

Diplomatic sources in the region said on Saturday night that invitations had been extended to leaders across South Asia, signalling the first major diplomatic outreach by the BNP leadership to re-engage neighbours after its sweeping electoral victory.

The new government and newly elected members of parliament are scheduled to take their oaths in Dhaka on Feb 17.

According to the sources, the invitations were extended by the outgoing interim government head Muhammad Yunus ahead of the formal transfer of power.

The move follows earlier reports by Indian broadcaster WION, which quoted Humayun Kabir, a foreign affairs advisor to Tarique, as saying that Dhaka intended to invite the Indian prime minister as part of a broader regional outreach.

“The region is important to us. An important part of the foreign policy of Tarique Rahman [is] making this region an influential region.”

“[There is a] sense of priority in sending out invitations for the inauguration. The time frame is short, but the gesture is there” he was quoted as saying.

Kabir indicated that a BNP-led government would pursue what he described as a “balanced” regional policy, using multilateral platforms such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and BIMSTEC to articulate a shared political and economic vision.

The outreach comes after the BNP’s emphatic return to power, a result that has prompted renewed scrutiny in New Delhi over how relations with Dhaka should be recalibrated following the collapse of the Awami League government.

The Hindustan Times reported, however, that Modi is unlikely to travel to Dhaka on Feb 17 due to a prior engagement in Mumbai, where he is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron during the latter’s visit for the AI Impact Summit.

Citing Indian government sources, the newspaper said New Delhi may instead be represented by a senior figure, possibly the vice-president or the external affairs minister.

While restoring ties with Bangladesh remains a priority, the report noted that Indian officials are wary of appearing to rush into a rapprochement.

“There is also the question of optics,” one source told the newspaper, referring to the possibility of Modi sharing a stage with Pakistan’s prime minister, who is also expected to be invited.

Bangladesh is likely to extend invitations to most SAARC member states — an organisation initiated by Tarique’s father, former president Ziaur Rahman — as well as leaders from several friendly nations, including China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Tarique has said his government’s foreign policy would be rooted in Bangladesh’s national interest and would not revolve around any single power.

Modi has already congratulated Tarique on the BNP’s victory, reaffirming India’s support for a “democratic and progressive” Bangladesh.

In their first phone conversation on Friday, Modi told the BNP leader he looked forward to working together to strengthen bilateral ties and advance shared development goals.

Tarique, 60, is set to become Bangladesh’s first male head of government in 35 years, following the BNP’s landslide return to office.