New Delhi/Dhaka, Feb 15 (NationPress) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is set to represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected government of Bangladesh in Dhaka on February 17, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by its chairman Tarique Rahman, achieved a remarkable victory in the recent parliamentary elections.

The MEA remarked, "The Hon'ble Speaker's presence at this significant event highlights the profound and lasting friendship between the people of India and Bangladesh, reaffirming India's unwavering commitment to the democratic principles that connect our two nations."

"As neighboring countries with a shared history, culture, and mutual regard, India celebrates Bangladesh's transition to an elected government under Tarique Rahman, whose vision has garnered overwhelming support from the populace," the statement added.

The elected officials in Bangladesh's 13th National Parliamentary Election will take their oaths on Tuesday, February 17.

The swearing-in ceremony will be conducted in the morning by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin.

Multiple sources from the interim government's chief advisor's office, the law ministry, and the BNP confirmed this development to the leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.

The 13th parliamentary election took place on February 12, with the Election Commission releasing the official gazette of victorious candidates on the following evening.

Arrangements for the oath-taking ceremony are currently in progress at the Jatiya Sangsad secretariat, traditionally held in the designated oath room at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Kaniz Moula, secretary of the Jatiya Sangsad secretariat, confirmed that preparations are underway for the ceremony on the evening of February 17.

Polling took place for 299 of the 300 seats in the 13th parliamentary election on February 12.

The Election Commission has announced unofficial results for 297 constituencies, while the gazette notifications for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 are pending due to a High Court directive.

So far, the results indicate that the BNP has won 209 out of 297 seats, with candidates leading in Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4, where results are still awaited. Their allies have claimed three seats.

Conversely, Jamaat-e-Islami has secured 68 seats, while its coalition partners obtained nine seats. Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) claimed one seat, and independent candidates won in seven constituencies, as reported by Prothom Alo.

With Tarique Rahman now positioned to lead Bangladesh—marking the first male Prime Minister in nearly 35 years—experts caution that the nation must confront significant challenges, including unrest and rising Islamist extremism that characterized the 18-month tenure of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.