Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, will represent his country at the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tareq Rahman’s new cabinet on Tuesday. The event marks Rahman’s assumption of office as Prime Minister following his party’s sweeping victory in Bangladesh’s 13th national parliamentary election held on February 12.

According to a message received in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andalib Elias, saw off Minister Jayatissa at Colombo airport before his departure. The Sri Lankan minister’s participation is being viewed as a reflection of the strong and friendly bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The ceremony underscores ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two South Asian nations as Bangladesh transitions to a new government under Tareq Rahman’s leadership.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has signed the July National Charter at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka on Monday, in the presence of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. NCP Convener Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain signed the document on behalf of the party. The event was attended by National Consensus Commission Vice President Professor Ali Riaz, Commission Member Badiul Alam Majumdar, and the Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider.

Chief Adviser Yunus said the nation had expected NCP’s signature on the charter, and with this step, the July National Charter reached completion. He thanked the party for participating in what he described as a noble initiative and urged all to remain vigilant so that the document contributes to building a humane new Bangladesh. He also announced that newly elected members of parliament would take their oaths the following day.

NCP leader Nahid Islam stated that their elected MPs would take oath tomorrow, marking two oaths at once, and pledged to fulfill the trust placed in them by the people.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has returned home after being discharged from Square Hospital in Dhaka. He had been admitted with fever, cold, and breathing difficulties, and was released on Monday following several days of treatment. His personal assistant, Arifur Rahman Tushar, confirmed the development.

Doctors reported that Rizvi’s health has improved significantly, noting that his fever has subsided and his breathing problems have largely eased. He had been admitted to the hospital urgently last week due to his deteriorating condition.

A medical board comprising specialist doctors supervised his treatment during his stay at the hospital, ensuring close monitoring of his recovery process.

The Manobadhikar Sangskriti Foundation (MSF) reported that at least seven people were killed and 350 injured in violence that erupted across 26 districts of Bangladesh following the announcement of the 13th National Parliament election results. The organization released a statement on Monday, three days after the election, expressing strong condemnation and deep concern over the incidents. It urged the state to take swift and effective action to stop the violence and called on political parties to act responsibly and urgently.

According to MSF, victims included supporters of independent candidates in Munshiganj and Bagerhat, a child in Mymensingh, and an Awami League activist in Bhola. Two people died in a bomb explosion in Chapainawabganj, and a rickshaw driver in Lakshmipur was found dead after being missing since election night. The group also reported that over 350 political activists and civilians were injured in attacks across multiple districts, with cases of arson, vandalism, and one reported rape in Noakhali’s Hatiya.

MSF warned that misleading information and videos circulating on social media could further inflame the situation.

Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry will represent his country at the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s newly elected government, scheduled for tomorrow at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building. Although invited, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will not attend, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar are also unlikely to visit due to an ongoing trip to Europe. Ahsan Iqbal will therefore attend on their behalf as Pakistan’s Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives.

From India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be absent, but Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will participate in the event. Other foreign guests expected include Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Tshering Tobgay, and Bala Nanda Sharma.

The oath ceremony follows Bangladesh’s national election held on February 12, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a two-thirds majority to form the government. An 11-party alliance, including Jamaat and NCPC, won 77 seats and will sit in the opposition benches.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin Ahmed will administer the oath to the newly elected members of parliament, as both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are absent. According to Article 158(2)(b) of the Constitution, the CEC is authorized to conduct the oath-taking ceremony in such circumstances. On Monday, Parliament Secretariat Secretary Kaniz Mowla visited the CEC’s residence with the formal invitation letter for the event, a responsible official from the Secretariat confirmed.

The 13th parliamentary election was held on February 12, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured an absolute majority by winning 212 seats. The oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MPs is scheduled for Tuesday. Following the swearing-in, the formal process of forming a new government is expected to be completed soon.

The developments mark the transition toward a new parliamentary session and government formation following the BNP’s decisive electoral victory.

Leaders of the Dhaka North and South units of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) exchanged floral greetings with Tarique Rahman on Monday at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The event was held to formally congratulate him on being elected as a Member of Parliament from Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies.

Present at the meeting were Rafiqul Alam Majnu, convener of Dhaka South BNP and newly elected MP from Feni-1, member secretary Tanvir Hasan Robin, and Aminul Haque, convener of Dhaka North BNP, along with other party leaders and activists. They congratulated Rahman for his electoral success and expressed commitment to continue working together to fulfill public expectations.

During the exchange, Tarique Rahman thanked the leaders and activists for their support and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to strengthen party unity. He urged all members to play an active role in upholding democracy, development, and citizens’ rights across the country.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman has invited Hefazat-e-Islam’s Amir Allama Muhibullah Babunagari to attend the new government’s oath-taking ceremony as a guest. The invitation was extended over the phone on Monday afternoon, February 16, 2026. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon, February 17, 2026, at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka.

According to the report, Tarique Rahman, who led the BNP to victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, is also set to meet Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, known as Pir Saheb Chormonai, on Monday evening. The invitation to religious leaders highlights the inclusion of key Islamic figures in the upcoming state event.

The oath ceremony is described as a historic occasion, expected to mark the formal beginning of the new government’s tenure following the recent election.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman stated that no elements of 'election engineering' were observed in the country’s 13th parliamentary election. Speaking at a press conference at TIB’s Dhanmondi office in Dhaka, he said the election was largely acceptable, fair, neutral, and participatory. The event was organized to release TIB’s report titled 'Observation on the 13th National Election Process and Affidavit-Based Analysis.'

The report, based on a representative random sample of 70 out of 300 constituencies, found that 99 percent of candidates violated at least one of 58 electoral codes of conduct. It also documented incidents such as attacks on independent female candidates, intimidation outside polling centers, expulsion of polling agents, voter harassment, proxy voting, and vote buying. Additionally, 21.4 percent of the sampled constituencies recorded at least one instance of ballot fraud.

TIB’s findings further noted post-election violence, including 45 clashes between rival political groups, 34 cases of intimidation, and 18 attacks on homes or offices. The report concluded that while early signs suggested healthy competition, political violence and unhealthy rivalry increased during and after the election.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has resigned from the Bogura-6 parliamentary seat. On Monday, February 16, 2026, he submitted his resignation in writing. Rahman had contested and won in both the Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies during the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

According to election law, a candidate elected from multiple constituencies can retain only one seat. In compliance with this rule, Tarique Rahman chose to vacate the Bogura-6 seat and decided to take oath as a Member of Parliament from Dhaka-17. The decision formally confirms his representation of the Dhaka-17 constituency in the new parliament.

The resignation opens the Bogura-6 seat for a future by-election, as required by electoral procedures, though no schedule has yet been announced in the report.

The Jubo Dal has expelled Imam Hossain Pobi, member secretary of the Sonagazi upazila unit in Feni, for alleged involvement in activities contrary to the party’s policies, ideals, and organizational unity. The decision, which includes termination of his primary membership, was confirmed on Monday through an official statement by Minhazul Islam Bhuiyan, assistant office secretary of the central Jubo Dal. The expulsion was approved and implemented by the organization’s central executive committee president Abdul Monayem Munna and general secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Noyon.

According to the statement, the organization will not bear any responsibility for any misconduct committed by the expelled leader. It also instructed all party members and activists to refrain from maintaining any organizational contact with him.

The announcement underscores the Jubo Dal’s emphasis on maintaining internal discipline and adherence to party principles within its local units.

Abdul Mannan Matubbar, a member of the Boalmari Thana Awami League, was arrested by a joint force on Tuesday afternoon in front of the Boalmari Upazila Health Complex in Faridpur. He had formally joined the BNP on February 14 at the party’s temporary office after leaving the Awami League. Within days of his defection, allegations emerged that he instigated attacks and vandalism in his locality.

According to the report, on February 14, about a hundred people led by new BNP leaders allegedly loyal to Mannan attacked several homes in Parameshwardi Charpara village, damaging properties and injuring residents. Locals claimed that during the Awami League government, Mannan controlled the Moyendia market and collected monthly payments from traders. They alleged he returned to the area to regain influence ahead of the upcoming national election.

Boalmari police said Mannan was detained in connection with both the recent violence and older cases. The Faridpur assistant superintendent of police confirmed that clashes between rival groups caused the unrest and that legal proceedings are underway against all involved.

A national referendum held on February 12 alongside Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election approved the July National Charter for constitutional reform, with over 60 percent of votes cast in favor. Out of 127.7 million registered voters, 77.7 million participated, with more than 48 million voting 'yes' and over 22.5 million voting 'no'. The result formally clears constitutional barriers to implementing the reform package.

Under the July National Charter Implementation Order 2025, newly elected members of parliament will serve as members of the Constitutional Reform Council, tasked with enacting the proposals within 180 working days of the first parliamentary session. The referendum included 84 proposals, 47 of which were constitutional. Despite broad political consensus on many points, the BNP opposed several provisions. Analysts note that, given the BNP’s two-thirds majority in parliament, proposals marked by their dissent may not be implemented.

Key proposals include limiting a prime minister’s tenure to ten years, reducing prime ministerial powers, expanding presidential authority in some areas, and introducing a bicameral legislature. However, disputes over the structure of the upper house and other provisions suggest continued political and constitutional debate.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s new government, formed under the leadership of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Tarique Rahman. Turkish Under Secretary Beris Ekinci will also be present at the event, according to senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday afternoon.

The ceremony will take place on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building, where members of the new cabinet will be sworn in. Nearly 1,200 local and foreign guests are expected to attend. The BNP secured a decisive victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election held last Thursday, winning 209 seats on its own and 212 seats with allies. The party is set to form a government after nearly two decades.

Foreign dignitaries from several South Asian countries, including Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, as well as representatives from the United Kingdom and other nations, have been invited by interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to join the ceremony.

Caretaker government Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus delivered a televised address to the nation on Monday, February 16, 2026, beginning at 9:15 p.m. The speech was broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar. The address is widely regarded as his farewell message to the nation, as a new government is set to take office the following day.

According to the report, members elected to the 13th National Parliament are scheduled to take their oaths on Tuesday morning, February 17, 2026. Later that afternoon, ministers of the incoming government, led by Tarique Rahman, will also be sworn in. The transition marks the end of the interim administration headed by Yunus.

The source notes that Yunus’s address referenced the significance of the recent election and the importance of implementing the July Charter to prevent the return of authoritarianism, underscoring the historical importance of the electoral process.