PM Tarique Rahman to Lead 5 Portfolios in New 49-Member Cabinet

After a landslide victory in the 13th National Assembly elections, Tarique Rahman has taken charge as the country's 11th Prime Minister after a gap of 19 years, 3 months and 19 days. To run the government, he has formed a strong and efficient cabinet of 49 members, where the experience of senior leaders as well as the enthusiasm of young people have been given priority.

The Prime Minister has kept 5 very important ministries of state management under his control, including defense, public administration, posts, telecommunications and information technology, science and technology, and youth and sports. The first formal meeting of the newly formed cabinet is scheduled to be held at the Secretariat on Wednesday (February 18) at 3 pm.

The distribution of portfolios in the cabinet shows that party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been given the important responsibility of the local government, rural development and cooperatives ministry, where Mir Shahe Alam remains as the Minister of State. The responsibility of managing the country's economy has fallen to Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, who has been given the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and his partner leader Jonayed Saki has been added as a Minister of State.

Salauddin Ahmed, a member of the party's standing committee, has been given the highly sensitive Ministry of Home Affairs. In addition, Mohammad Asaduzzaman has been appointed as the Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon as the Minister of Education, while Bobby Hajjaj will remain as the Minister of State for Education.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been given to Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the former National Security Advisor to the Chief Adviser, and Shama Obaid Islam will work as the Minister of State in this department. Zahir Uddin Swapan and State Minister Yaser Khan Chowdhury have been given the responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has been appointed as the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Mohammad Shariful Alam has been appointed as the Minister of State.

Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, an experienced power and energy sector minister, will be the full minister and Anindya Islam Amit will be the state minister. Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bakul will be the health minister and MA Muhith will be the state minister. Amin Ur Rashid will be the agriculture and fisheries minister and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku will be the state minister.

Among other important portfolios, Abdul Awal Mintu will be the environment minister, Sheikh Rabiul Alam will be the road and bridge minister, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed will be the liberation war affairs minister. Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain will be the social welfare minister, Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad will be the religious affairs minister, and Nitai Roy Chowdhury will be the cultural affairs minister. Mizanur Rahman Minu will be the land minister, Ariful Haque Chowdhury will be the expatriate welfare minister, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie will be the water resources minister, and Afroza Khanam Rita will be the aviation and tourism minister.

In addition, Zakaria Taher Suman has been appointed as the Minister of Housing and Public Works, Dipen Dewan as the Minister of Chittagong Hill Tracts, and Asadul Habib Dulu as the Minister of Disaster Management. Abdul Bari and former star footballer Aminul Haque will serve as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, respectively.