India Sends Lok Sabha Speaker to Bangladesh Swearing-In as PM Modi Declines Invite

In a significant diplomatic development, India has confirmed that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s newly-elected Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in Dhaka on February 17, 2026.

While an invitation was extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister has politely declined due to a pre-existing schedule involving high-level bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a formal statement on Saturday confirming the Speaker’s participation, emphasizing the strong bilateral ties between the two neighboring nations.

The Invitation and the Response

According to diplomatic sources, the invitation was formally delivered to the Indian government on Saturday, February 14, 2026, through official channels by the office of Bangladesh’s Interim Advisor, Muhammad Yunus.

Prime Minister Modi, while appreciating the gesture from the new Bangladeshi leadership, communicated his inability to attend in person. His schedule dictates that he will be in Mumbai on February 17 for a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is arriving in India on a state visit. Following the talks in Mumbai, both leaders are scheduled to travel to New Delhi to co-chair the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact Summit.

In light of the Prime Minister’s unavailability, the government decided to dispatch a high-level representative. The MEA confirmed that Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, will travel to Dhaka to attend the ceremony.

Significance of Speaker Birla’s Attendance

The decision to send the Lok Sabha Speaker, rather than a junior minister, is being viewed diplomatically as a gesture of respect and continuity. The MEA statement highlighted that the Speaker’s participation “underscores the deep and enduring friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh.”

The Ministry further stated that India welcomes “Bangladesh’s transition to an elected government under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, whose vision and values have received an overwhelming mandate of the people.” The statement reaffirmed India’s commitment to democratic values that bind the two nations, noting their shared history, culture, and mutual respect.

The New Leadership in Dhaka

Tarique Rahman, the chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is set to be sworn in following a historic election that saw his party secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Reports from Bangladesh indicate that this marks a significant political transition for the country.

This development follows a recent telephone conversation between Prime Minister Modi and Mr. Rahman shortly after the election results were announced. That conversation was seen as an early sign of India’s willingness to engage with the new dispensation in Dhaka.

Regional and International Presence

The swearing-in ceremony in Dhaka is expected to be a major international event. Bangladesh media reports indicate that leaders from at least twelve other countries have been invited. These include nations from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) such as Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

Additionally, invitations have been sent to leaders from China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, and Brunei. The wide net of invitations suggests that the new BNP government in Bangladesh is seeking to establish strong ties with a broad spectrum of global powers right from its inception.

Interestingly, the presence of international leaders in the region is set to create a diplomatic hub. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, after potentially attending the Dhaka ceremony, are also expected to travel to New Delhi on February 18 to participate in the AI Impact Summit being hosted by India.

Context of the Transition

The political landscape in Bangladesh has shifted decisively with the BNP’s victory. BNP Foreign Affairs Advisor Humaiun Kobir confirmed to The Hindu on Saturday that invitations were being extended to all “regional leaders” for the Tuesday event.

The invitation to India, and the subsequent acceptance by Speaker Birla, sets the tone for what is expected to be a new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations. As the two countries navigate this political transition, the focus will remain on maintaining the strong people-to-people ties and strategic partnership that have defined their relationship over the years.