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PM Tarique Rahman vows to turn Bangladesh into safe land for people of all faiths

February 19, 2026 5 min read International Relations GS2 (International Relations — India and Neighbourhood)
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What Happened

  • Newly elected Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, in his first televised address to the nation, vowed to make Bangladesh "a safe land for every citizen" regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation
  • Rahman specifically stated: "Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians — regardless of party, opinion, religion, or ethnicity — whether living in the hills or the plains, this country belongs to all of us"
  • He was sworn in as the 11th Prime Minister of Bangladesh on February 18, 2026, after his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won 212 of 299 parliamentary seats in the February 12 elections
  • The pledge is significant given that Bangladesh's Hindu minority has faced a series of communal attacks since the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina in August 2024
  • The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented over 2,000 incidents of communal violence since Hasina's ouster, including murders of 116 minority individuals between June 2025 and January 2026

Static Topic Bridges

India-Bangladesh Relations — Historical and Contemporary Dimensions

India and Bangladesh share a unique relationship rooted in the 1971 Liberation War, during which India provided decisive military support for Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan. The relationship has oscillated between warmth and tension, depending largely on which party governs in Dhaka — the Awami League has traditionally been closer to India, while the BNP has maintained a more distant posture.

  • India recognised Bangladesh on December 6, 1971; the two countries share a 4,096.7 km land border — India's longest with any country
  • Key bilateral agreements: Land Boundary Agreement (2015, implemented via the 100th Constitutional Amendment), Ganges Water Treaty (1996, 30-year tenure)
  • Economic ties: India's Line of Credit to Bangladesh exceeds USD 8 billion — the largest to any single country
  • Transit and connectivity: India uses Bangladesh's Chittagong and Mongla ports for connectivity to the Northeast; BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) Motor Vehicles Agreement signed 2015
  • Teesta water sharing: a long-pending dispute; a framework was ready in 2011 but not signed due to West Bengal's opposition
  • The Awami League under Sheikh Hasina (2009-2024) was the most India-friendly government in Bangladesh's history; the BNP has historically maintained closer ties with China and Pakistan

Connection to this news: Rahman's pluralism pledge carries direct implications for India, which has repeatedly raised the issue of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, making this a key variable in the trajectory of India-Bangladesh relations under the new BNP government.

Minority Protection Frameworks — Constitutional and International

The protection of religious minorities is enshrined in both Bangladesh's constitution and multiple international instruments. Bangladesh's Constitution declares Islam as the state religion (Article 2A, inserted by the 8th Amendment, 1988) while simultaneously guaranteeing freedom of religion (Article 41) and equality before law regardless of religion (Article 27).

  • Bangladesh Constitution, Article 2A: Islam is the state religion, but the state shall ensure equal status and equal right to practise other religions
  • Article 28: prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth
  • Article 41: guarantees freedom of religion — every citizen has the right to profess, practise, and propagate any religion
  • International instruments: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18 — freedom of religion); ICCPR (Article 18 — freedom of thought, conscience, religion); Bangladesh is a signatory to both
  • Bangladesh's Hindu population: approximately 8-9% of the total population (down from ~22% at the time of partition in 1947)
  • The Vested Property Act (originally the Enemy Property Act, 1965) — used to seize Hindu-owned properties — was repealed in 2001 by the Vested Property Return Act, though implementation has been slow

Connection to this news: Rahman's promise to protect all faiths will be tested against the structural challenges facing Bangladesh's minorities, including the declining Hindu population share, communal violence, and the legacy of discriminatory legislation like the Vested Property Act.

Bangladesh's Political Transition (2024-2026)

Bangladesh underwent a dramatic political upheaval in August 2024 when a student-led uprising forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus governed until elections were held on February 12, 2026, resulting in a BNP landslide.

  • August 2024: Student protests against job reservation quotas escalated into a broader anti-government movement; PM Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5, 2024
  • August-February 2024-2026: Interim government under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus
  • February 12, 2026: 13th Parliamentary elections held; BNP-led alliance won 212 of 299 seats; Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance won 77 seats
  • Tarique Rahman, 60, returned from 17 years of self-exile in London; had been convicted in absentia in corruption and grenade attack cases under the Hasina government
  • The BNP's return to power after 20 years raises questions about Bangladesh's foreign policy orientation, particularly the balance between India and China
  • During the interim period, communal violence against minorities surged, with limited state response

Connection to this news: Rahman's maiden speech prioritising minority safety addresses the most acute concern arising from the political transition — whether the new government can reverse the surge in communal violence that characterised the interim period.

Key Facts & Data

  • BNP won 212 of 299 seats in the February 12, 2026 elections
  • Tarique Rahman sworn in as 11th PM on February 18, 2026, after 17 years in exile
  • Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council documented 2,000+ communal violence incidents since August 2024
  • 116 minority individuals murdered between June 2025 and January 2026
  • Bangladesh's Hindu population: ~8-9% (down from ~22% in 1947)
  • India-Bangladesh border: 4,096.7 km — India's longest land border with any country
  • India's Line of Credit to Bangladesh exceeds USD 8 billion
  • Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5, 2024; interim government under Muhammad Yunus governed until February 2026