Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s prime minister-designate Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on February 17, the ministry of external affairs announced on Sunday.
Bangladesh had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the inauguration of the newly elected government, but he will not be able to travel as he is scheduled to host French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on the same day. Macron will be on a three-day visit to India from February 17 to 19 for bilateral talks and to attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
Officials said foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Singh will accompany Birla during the visit. In the official order of precedence, the Lok Sabha Speaker ranks immediately after the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India, which is why India will be represented at that level.
The external affairs ministry said Birla’s participation reflects the close and enduring ties between India and Bangladesh and reiterates India’s support for democratic processes in the neighbouring country.
Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a decisive mandate in the February 12 parliamentary elections, winning 212 of the 299 seats contested. Prime Minister Modi was among the first international leaders to congratulate Rahman and expressed hope of working closely with the new government.
Bangladesh has also invited several foreign leaders to the ceremony — a first for the country’s government inaugurations. Invitees include SAARC members such as Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, along with friendly nations including Brunei, China, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates. The outreach is being seen as part of efforts to revive regional engagement within South Asia.