New Delhi: Om Birla on Tuesday attended the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s new Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka and reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s democratic and inclusive development.
In a post on X, Birla said India stands ready to support Bangladesh’s endeavours to build a “democratic, progressive and inclusive nation.” He described the occasion as an important moment that would strengthen shared democratic values and people-to-people ties between the two neighbouring countries.
PM Modi’s Invitation Handed Over
During a courtesy meeting after the ceremony, Birla conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and formally handed over his invitation to Rahman to visit India.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah said both sides expressed optimism about advancing cooperation focused on the well-being of people in both nations.
Prime Minister Modi, who had been invited to the ceremony, could not attend due to his scheduled talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on the same day.
Regional Leaders Meet on Sidelines
On the sidelines of the swearing-in, Birla also met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, among other leaders.
BNP’s Sweeping Electoral Victory
Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party secured a decisive two-thirds majority in the February 12 general elections, winning 209 seats with 49.97 per cent of the vote. Results were declared on February 13.
The Jamaat-e-Islami recorded its best-ever performance with 68 seats and 31.76 per cent votes, while the National Citizen Party secured six seats with 3.05 per cent votes.
Birla was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior officials during the visit.
