Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladeshi prime minister

"For the country, it signalled what many Bangladeshis hope will be a turning point from repression and unrest and a chance to revive the economy. Outside parliament, the mood was hopeful. Kamal Mia, 38, who arrived early to join the crowd, called the day a new start. I'm not saying everything will change overnight, Mia said. But today feels different. Now we want them to work, bring prices down, stop corruption and let people live without fear."

"Rahman, 60, comes from a long political lineage. His mother was the late prime minister Khaleda Zia and his father, Ziaur Rahman, founded the nationalist centre-right BNP and was a central figure in Bangladesh's 1971 independence struggle before being assassinated as president in 1981. The BNP swept to a commanding two-thirds majority in last week's election, securing 212 seats in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad. An alliance including the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami won 77 seats."

"Alongside Rahman, 25 cabinet ministers and 24 junior ministers were sworn in. Rahman, who returned from self-imposed exile in London last year just before his mother's death, said the government had very serious challenges to face in order to turn around the economy and clamp down on widespread corruption. Inflation, job creation, law and order and institutional reform are expected to dominate the early weeks of his administration."

Tarique Rahman was sworn in as prime minister, sealing a comeback for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and ending 18 months of caretaker rule led by Muhammad Yunus. The BNP won a two-thirds parliamentary majority with 212 of 300 seats while an alliance including Jamaat-e-Islami secured 77 seats. The swearing-in ceremony took place outside parliament and 25 cabinet ministers plus 24 junior ministers were sworn in. Rahman returned from self-imposed exile and inherits urgent challenges: reviving the economy, tackling widespread corruption, reducing inflation, creating jobs, restoring law and order, and pursuing institutional reform. Many citizens expressed hope for a new start.

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