President Shahabuddin to administer oath on Feb 17 amid procedural changes
February 15, 2026: Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath of office to the new cabinet led by Tarique Rahman on February 17 at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad complex in Dhaka, marking a departure from the tradition of holding the ceremony at Bangabhaban. Officials said the swearing-in will take place at the National Parliament premises, while Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin is expected to administer the oath to newly elected MPs, instead of the outgoing Speaker as typically mandated.
The change follows an unusual political situation, with former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury having resigned and reportedly remaining at an undisclosed location, while the deputy speaker is in jail. Under the Constitution’s Third Schedule, the Chief Election Commissioner is authorised to administer the oath in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Officials indicated that the President may exercise constitutional provisions to ensure the process proceeds smoothly.
Meanwhile, administrative changes have added to the evolving scenario. The interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus scrapped Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid’s contractual appointment, replacing him with Siraj Uddin Mia, currently serving as principal secretary to Yunus. Rashid stated that he had resigned earlier and that his resignation was formally accepted on Saturday, days before the new government’s swearing-in ceremony.