BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, the son of military dictator General Ziaur Rahman and three-time premier Khaleda Zia, was sworn in on Tuesday as the country’s 11th prime minister, marking the party’s triumphant return to power after nearly two decades and the end of the fascist, murderous Yunus era.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at 4:10pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and was administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, the final head of state from the previous Awami League administration.
Immediately following his own oath, Tarique Rahman witnessed the swearing-in of a 49-member cabinet comprising 25 full ministers and 24 state ministers. The new government was formed following BNP’s decisive victory in the February 12 general election, which ended the illegitimate and fascist interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
The cabinet blends veteran BNP leaders, newly elected parliamentarians, and a small number of technocrats. Several prominent Standing Committee members and long-time party stalwarts did not receive portfolios, including Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, Amanullah Aman, and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed.
However, in the evening, Tarique Rahman appointed 10 people as advisers with the rank of minister and state minister by virtue of the power of the prime minister. Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Nazrul Islam Khan, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Md. Ismail Zabiullah and Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir have been appointed as advisors with the rank of minister.
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On the other hand, Humayun Kabir, Brigadier General (Retd) Shamsul Islam, former Nagorik Oikyo leader Zahed Ur Rahman, Mahadi Amin and Rehan Asif Asad have been appointed as advisors with the rank of state minister.
Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 after the army-backed caretaker government took office for allegations of corruption, extortion and terrorism sponsorship surrounding his infamous political hub, “Hawa Bhaban.”
After getting bail in September 2008, Tarique Rahman flew to the United Kingdom, and courts convicted him in some of the cases. But after the 2024 changeover, his life imprisonment in the August 21 grenade attack case and a cumulative 48-year prison term in various corruption cases were quashed or withdrawn. Later, he returned home on December 25, 2025, five days before Khaleda Zia died in a Dhaka hospital.
Full Ministers And Their Portfolios
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been assigned to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives. Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury will handle both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning. Salahuddin Ahmed takes charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Iqbal Hasan Mahmud is responsible for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources. Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram heads the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain oversees the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs as well as the Ministry of Social Welfare.
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Technocrat Dr. Khalilur Rahman has been appointed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Abdul Awal Mintoo leads the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad is in charge of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Mizanur Rahman Minu handles the Ministry of Land. Nitai Roy Chowdhury takes the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Khandaker Abdul Muktadir is assigned the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries, and Ministry of Textiles and Jute. Ariful Haque Chowdhury manages the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Zahir Uddin Swapan heads the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid is responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and Ministry of Food. Afroza Khanam leads the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie takes the Ministry of Water Resources.
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Asadul Habib Dulu oversees the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Md. Asaduzzaman is assigned the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Zakaria Taher handles the Ministry of Housing and Public Works. Dipen Dewan is in charge of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon manages the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain leads the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Fakir Mahbub Anam is responsible for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology as well as the Ministry of Science and Technology. Shaikh Rabiul Alam oversees the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, Ministry of Railways, and Ministry of Shipping.
State Ministers And Their Portfolios
The state ministers include: M Rashiduzzaman Millat (Civil Aviation and Tourism), Anindya Islam Amit (Power, Energy and Mineral Resources), Md. Shariful Alam (Commerce; Industries; Textiles and Jute), Shama Obaed Islam (Foreign Affairs), Sultan Salauddin Tuku (Agriculture; Fisheries and Livestock; Food), Barrister Kaiser Kamal (Land), Forhad Hossain Azad (Water Resources), Md. Aminul Haq (Technocrat – Youth and Sports), Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin (Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs), Habibur Rashid (Road Transport and Bridges), Md. Rajib Ahsan (Railways; Shipping), Md. Abdul Bari (Public Administration), Mir Shahe Alam (Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives), Ganosamhati Andolan’s Md. Zunayed Abdur Rahim Saki (Finance; Planning; Home Affairs), Ishraque Hossen (Liberation War Affairs), Farzana Sharmin (Women and Children Affairs; Social Welfare), Sheikh Faridul Islam (Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Religious Affairs; Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs), Gono Odhikar Parishad’s Md. Nurul Haque Nur (Labour and Employment; Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment), Yaser Khan Chowdhury (Information and Broadcasting), M. Iqbal Hossain (Disaster Management and Relief), M.A. Muhit (Health and Family Welfare; Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology; Science and Technology), Ahmed Sohel Manjur (Housing and Public Works), razakar and arms trader Nula Musa’s son Bobby Hajjaj (Education; Primary and Mass Education), and Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam (Cultural Affairs).
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Earlier in the day, during the first meeting of the BNP parliamentary party, chaired by Tarique Rahman, Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed reiterated the party’s full commitment to implementing the July National Charter as a signed political agreement. He also announced two key directives from the Prime Minister to all MPs: no acceptance of duty-free car privileges and no allocation of government plots.
Tarique Rahman will begin official duties on Wednesday. He is scheduled to lay a wreath at the National Memorial in Savar at 10am to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War, followed by his first working day at the Secretariat starting at 12:30pm, which will include a special cabinet meeting and an exchange of views with secretaries.
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