BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman was elected Leader of the House and Prime Minister on Tuesday following a decision taken at a meeting of the party’s parliamentary body.

The meeting, chaired by Tarique after the swearing-in of the newly elected BNP lawmakers, unanimously elected him as Leader of the House and Prime Minister in recognition of the party’s absolute majority in the 13th parliamentary election.

Earlier in the day, at around 10:45am, Tarique Rahman along with BNP Members of Parliament (MPs) elected in the 13th national election took oath. The parliamentary party meeting was held immediately after the swearing-in ceremony.

Later in the afternoon, at 4pm, Tarique Rahman and members of the new Cabinet are scheduled to take oath as Prime Minister and ministers before President Mohammad Shahabuddin at a special ceremony to be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

In the evening, the Cabinet Division is expected to issue an official gazette notification detailing the portfolios of the newly appointed ministers.

In the February 12 parliamentary election, the BNP-led alliance under Tarique Rahman’s leadership secured 212 seats, achieving a landslide majority. It marks the sixth time in Bangladesh’s history that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is set to assume state power.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, which won 68 seats, is set to sit in Parliament as the main opposition party. Its parliamentary leader is expected to be Dr Shafiqur Rahman.

If all goes as planned, the first session of the 13th Parliament is likely to be held on February 26.