Fixing Cricket Ties With India, Minority Move, 180-Day Plan: How Tarique Rahman Is Resetting Bangladesh

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 00:46 IST

This historic win for Tarique Rahman means a promise of restoring stability after a period of domestic upheaval in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina's ouster

Following a landslide victory in the general elections, new Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has now set his goals on a comprehensive “reset" of Bangladesh. 

This historic win for Tarique Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile, means a promise of restoring stability after a period of domestic upheaval in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s ouster.

Rahman was sworn in as the 11th prime minister, replacing the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. His ascension also marks the end of a two-decade hiatus from power for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and brings a renewed focus on restoring the rule of law and repairing strained diplomatic ties.

‘SAFE LAND FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS’

Central to this reset is Rahman’s agenda of eliminating the “mob culture" that escalated during the interim period after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government.

Following Hasina’s escape to India, Bangladesh witnessed a surge in extrajudicial killings and communal attacks. According to reports from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, 522 communal attacks were documented in 2025, including 116 murders of people from minority faiths between June 2025 and January 2026.

In his first televised address, Rahman vowed to turn the country into a “safe land for people of all faiths", stressing that every citizen whether Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian, has equal rights.

“Not party or political influence or force, but the rule of law will be the final word in governing the state," Rahman said in his speech.

This commitment is echoed by his cabinet: home minister Salahuddin Ahmed firmly said “the mob culture in no way can be tolerated", and senior minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also stated that ending mob violence is a top priority for the new government.

180-DAY PRIORITY PLAN

To stabilise a “fragile economy battered by corruption", Rahman has implemented an ambitious 180-day priority plan.

While new governments in Bangladesh typically announce a 100-day package, Rahman has extended this “honeymoon period" to allow for deeper structural changes.

The plan focuses on four key areas: improving law and order to restore public security; controlling the prices of essential goods and dismantling “syndicates of wrongdoing"; ensuring uninterrupted energy supplies (electricity and gas); and enhancing public transport, specifically the railway system, for better connectivity.

He has stressed the need to transform Bangladesh’s population into a skilled workforce ready for the era of artificial intelligence, promising support for youths to develop “intellectually and scientifically".

CRICKET DIPLOMACY

The Rahman administration will be focusing on fixing bilateral relations, particularly with India. This diplomatic thawing will be most visible in the realm of sports.

Newly appointed sports minister Aminul Haque is moving quickly to resolve the dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that saw Bangladesh replaced by Scotland in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

The row originated when the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested to play matches outside India following the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL squad amid concerns over atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. Haque, a former national footballer, met with India’s deputy high commissioner immediately after being sworn in, expressing a desire to build “sincere and cordial" ties across all sectors.

WARMTH FROM NEW DELHI

The significance of Rahman taking over was underscored by a formal invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a congratulatory letter, Prime Minister Modi invited Rahman, along with his wife and daughter, to visit India, describing the two nations as “close neighbours" with a friendship founded on shared history.

Modi expressed a desire to work closely with the new PM to strengthen cooperation in trade, technology, and energy, saying the mandate given to him is a “testimony to the trust… in your vision to take the country forward". This sentiment was also highlighted by the presence of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at his swearing-in ceremony.

While foreign minister Kalilur Rahman has defined the new doctrine as “Bangladesh First", Rahman appears committed to a foreign policy of building friendly relations with all countries mirroring the path set by the late President Ziaur Rahman. This shift signifies a move toward regional cooperation and democratic stability after a period of significant domestic unrest.

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