Bangladesh Unveils New Cabinet Members in Major Government Shake-Up

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sworn In as Country’s First Elected Leader Since 2024 Protests

Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been sworn in as the country’s first elected prime minister since deadly protests in 2024 led to the ouster of the previous government and its prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. Rahman’s party won a landslide victory in last week’s parliamentary elections, securing 212 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh’s parliament.

On Tuesday, Rahman took his oath of office, followed by newly elected MPs who pledged loyalty to their country inside the oath room of the parliament building. Foreign officials, including Pakistan’s foreign minister and India’s Parliament speaker, were also present at the ceremony.

Rahman’s cabinet appointments have been revealed, with 25 full ministers taking their oaths during a separate ceremony in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon. The majority of the appointed ministers are from the BNP and its close allies. Some notable appointees include Alamgir, who served as secretary-general of the BNP since 2016, and Chowdhury, who previously served as minister of commerce under the previous BNP administration.

Other cabinet members include Tuku, a veteran BNP figure who has been elected to parliament multiple times and held important party roles. The ministries assigned to these individuals have not yet been confirmed.

Source: Al Jazeera