Tarique Rahman Forms 49-Member Cabinet After BNP Victory in 13th Parliamentary Election

Following the victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to form a 49-member cabinet comprising 25 ministers and 24 state ministers.

The members of the new cabinet will take oath on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The oath ceremony will be administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

A major surprise in the new cabinet is the inclusion of Khalilur Rahman, National Security Adviser to the interim government’s Chief Adviser. Although not a Member of Parliament, he will be sworn in as a technocrat minister.

Mohammad Aminur Rashid Yasin, General Secretary of Cumilla District BNP, will also take oath as a technocrat minister. A former member of the Sixth National Parliament in 1996, Yasin had prepared to contest from Cumilla-6 (Sadar) constituency with the party’s “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol. However, the party nomination was awarded to Adviser to the Chairperson Monirul Haque Chowdhury. Yasin later announced his withdrawal from the election on January 19 after initially planning to contest as an independent candidate.

Former footballer and BNP Central Executive Committee Sports Affairs Secretary, Md. Aminul Haque, will join the government as a technocrat state minister. He contested from Dhaka-16 constituency in the 13th parliamentary election but was defeated by Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md. Abdul Baten. There is speculation that he may be assigned the portfolio of State Minister for Sports.

Tarique Rahman will serve as Prime Minister in the new government.

Among those taking oath as ministers are Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain, Dr. Khalilur Rahman (Technocrat), Abdul Awal Mintoo, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad, Mizanur Rahman Minu, Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Zahir Uddin Swapan, Mohammad Aminur Rashid Yasin (Technocrat), Afroza Khanam (Rita), Md. Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Asadul Habib Dulu, Md. Asaduzzaman, Zakaria Taher, Dipen Dewan, ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Fakir Mahbub Anam, and Sheikh Robiul Alam.

Those set to take oath as state ministers include M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, Anindya Islam Amit, Md. Shariful Alam, Shama Obaid Islam, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Kaysar Kamal, Farhad Hossain Azad, Md. Aminul Haque (Technocrat), Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Habibur Rashid, Md. Rajib Ahsan, Md. Abdul Bari, Mir Shahe Alam, Md. Jonaed Abdur Rahim Saki (Jonaed Saki), Ishraque Hossain, Farzana Sharmin, Sheikh Faridul Islam, Md. Nurul Haque Nur, Yaser Khan Chowdhury, M. Iqbal Hossain, M. A. Muhith, Ahmad Sohel Manjur, Bobby Hajjaj, and Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam.

The formation of this cabinet marks a significant political development in Bangladesh’s governance landscape, with a mix of senior party leaders, former lawmakers, and technocrats taking key positions in the new administration.