After nearly two decades out of office, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has formally formed a new government following the swearing-in of newly elected lawmakers and cabinet members on Tuesday.
BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman took oath as Prime Minister after his party secured a commanding majority in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections, winning 209 seats and paving the way for its return to power.
Tarique Rahman succeeds interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, who assumed office on 8 August, 2024, following the ouster of the Awami League government amid a student-led mass uprising.
The oath-taking ceremony for newly elected Members of Parliament was held at 10:00am at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Later at 4:00pm, the prime minister and members of the new cabinet were sworn in at the same venue.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin administered the oath to the lawmakers, while President Mohammed Shahabuddin swore in the prime minister and cabinet members.
The ceremony was attended by foreign and local dignitaries, including Om Birla, Speaker of India’s Lok Sabha, as well as foreign ministers from member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Representatives of civil society, outgoing advisers and officials of the interim administration were also present.
Election results and opposition role
The 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections were held on February 12 alongside a national referendum.
Of the 299 seats contested, results were published for 297. With 209 seats, the BNP secured an outright majority in the 300-seat parliament, enabling it to form the government independently.
Former BNP ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats and is set to serve as the main opposition in parliament.
Constitution Reform Council to be formed
On implementing the July National Charter, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Ali Riaz said the Implementation Order 2025 mandates the formation of a Constitution Reform Council.
The council, to be composed of elected Members of Parliament, will be tasked with incorporating the reform proposals outlined in the charter into the constitution within 180 days of its formation.
With the transition complete, the BNP-led government begins its new term amid expectations of political reform and constitutional restructuring.
Cabinet lineup announced
Full ministers
The following leaders took oath as full ministers:
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir — Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury — Finance and Planning
Salahuddin Ahmed — Home Affairs
Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku — Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Bir Bikram) — Liberation War Affairs
AZM Zahid Hossain — Women and Children Affairs; Social Welfare
Dr Khalilur Rahman (Technocrat) — Foreign Affairs
Abdul Awal Mintoo — Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad — Religious Affairs
Mizanur Rahman Minu — Land
Khandaker Abdul Muktadir — Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute
Ariful Haque Chowdhury — Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment
Zahir Uddin Swapan — Information and Broadcasting
Mohammad Amin ur Rashid (Technocrat) — Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock
Afroza Khanam Rita — Civil Aviation and Tourism
Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie — Water Resources
Md Asaduzzaman — Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Zakaria Taher Suman — Housing and Public Works
Dipen Dewan — Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs
Nitai Roy Chowdhury — Cultural Affairs
State ministers
The following members were sworn in as state ministers:
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
Kaiser Kamal — Land
Farhad Hossain Azad — Water Resources
Aminul Haque (Technocrat) — Youth and Sports
Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin — Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs
Habibur Rashid — Road Transport and Bridges; Railways; Shipping
Rajib Ahsan — Road Transport and Bridges; Railways; Shipping
Abdul Bari — Public Administration
Mir Shahe Alam — Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
Jonayed Abdur Rahim Saki — Finance; Planning; Home Affairs
Ishraq Hossain — 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
Nurul Haque Nur — Labour and Employment; Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment
Yasser Khan Chowdhury — Information and Broadcasting
M Iqbal Hossain — Disaster Management and Relief
MA Muhith — Health and Family Welfare; Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology; Science and Technology
Ahmed Sohel Manjur — Housing and Public Works
Bobby Hajjaj — Education; Primary and Mass Education
Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam — Cultural AffairsShafiqur leader of the opposition, Nahid chief whip
Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has been designated Leader of the Opposition in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.
The decision was taken at a parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday following the oath-taking ceremony.
Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has been appointed Deputy Leader of the Opposition, while Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has been chosen as Opposition Chief Whip.
The information was confirmed by Saiful Alam Khan (Milon), a Jamaat lawmaker elected from Dhaka-12, after the parliamentary party meeting.
According to sources, the announcement will be formalised through a joint press release from the 11-party alliance that contested the election together.
Earlier in the day, Jamaat-e-Islami lawmakers took oath around 12:30pm, followed by members of the NCP. Representatives of the 11-party electoral alliance also took oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council.
The appointments complete the formal structuring of the opposition bench in the newly formed parliament following the 13th general election.