With hope and aspiration for a better tomorrow, we welcome Bangladesh’s new prime minister, Tarique Rahman, his cabinet members, and the members of the 13th parliament from both the ruling coalition and the opposition. The oath-taking ceremony of the new legislative and executive bodies on Tuesday marked the beginning of our country’s transition back to parliamentary democracy. Empowered by ballots, they now bear the responsibility of shaping the nation’s future for, hopefully, the next five years.
The greater responsibility, however, rests with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which formed the government with a two-thirds majority. Given our less-than-encouraging experience with majoritarian governments, particularly in the recent past, the new ruling party must take care not to misuse that power. Encouragingly, Tarique Rahman’s measured words and gestures following the election results signalled a positive shift. So far, both the victors and the opposition alliance have shown relative restraint in their post-election reactions, something that has often been absent during previous transitions.
BNP’s decision to refrain from taking the oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council may create some confusion. Under the July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order, 2025, members of the 13th parliament are also to serve on the Constitution Reform Council. While several independent MPs, along with lawmakers from Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party, and Islami Andolon, took the oath as council members on Tuesday, BNP MPs and independent Rumeen Farhana did not. BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that once parliament constitutionally approves the council, rules regarding members’ swearing-in can be framed. He further argued that, under the existing constitution, lawmakers were not elected specifically as members of the Constitution Reform Council. While this justification merits consideration, as the ruling party the BNP must make sincere efforts to bridge differences with the opposition on this issue through dialogue. All the parties must remain resolute in their commitment to the principles and spirit of the July Charter, which they have all signed, the BNP included, who placed notes of dissent regarding some clauses.
Aside from the minor hiccup regarding the Constituent Reform Council, the new government’s start has been promising. The decision by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers to forgo duty-free vehicles and government-allotted residential plots is commendable. At a time of inflationary pressure, such restraint could translate into meaningful national savings. We hope this spirit carries over into broader public expenditures as the executive assumes office.
As we watched emerging young leaders and seasoned stalwarts pledge to make our voices heard in the halls of democracy—the Jatiya Sangsad—we were reminded of the thousands whose sacrifices led to the ouster of an authoritarian regime during the July 2024 uprising. The 18-month interim administration that followed, despite its failure to implement many promised reforms, did deliver a credible election, and for that it deserves acknowledgment. Now, both the ruling party and the opposition must ensure that this hard-won democratic renewal does not falter again.
