New Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman forms cabinet, focuses on economy and security

Dhaka (Web Desk/Agencies): Tarique Rahman has rolled out his first cabinet after securing a sweeping mandate in the general elections, assigning crucial ministries as his government begins its term.

In a key appointment, he brought back veteran politician and businessman Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury to oversee the finance ministry, while choosing to personally handle the defence portfolio.

Rahman, 60, was sworn in on Tuesday following a decisive electoral triumph, taking charge from the interim administration that had governed the country of 170 million people since the violent 2024 uprising that ended the long rule of Sheikh Hasina.

The 50-member cabinet was formally announced late Tuesday through an official gazette notification. Among the prominent names is 76-year-old Chowdhury, who returns to the finance ministry at a time when the country’s economy requires urgent attention.

He has been entrusted with steering economic recovery after months of instability unsettled investors in the world’s second-largest garment-exporting nation. Chowdhury previously served in the cabinet of Rahman’s late mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, but stepped down in 2004.

Reports at the time suggested his resignation followed his approval for Taiwan to open a commercial office in Dhaka, a move that drew diplomatic sensitivity. Chowdhury has never publicly commented on the episode.
During Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure, he was detained multiple times as opposition leaders often faced legal cases that critics described as politically motivated.

By keeping the defence ministry under his own charge, Rahman signalled the importance of national security at a time when his administration faces multiple pressing challenges, including restoring stability and easing divisions in a politically polarised society.

Bangladesh finds itself in a delicate geopolitical position, bordered by India — where tensions along the frontier remain high — and Myanmar, where conflict has at times spilled into border regions. The country is also hosting more than a million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in Myanmar.

For foreign affairs, Rahman appointed seasoned diplomat Khalilur Rahman as foreign minister. A former United Nations official with academic credentials from institutions in Dhaka and the United States, he earlier managed the security portfolio in the caretaker government and played a role in facilitating trade discussions with the United States.

He now faces the delicate task of recalibrating regional ties after relations with India cooled during the interim setup, while Dhaka expanded engagement with Pakistan, India’s longstanding rival. India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart on Wednesday, expressing hope that both sides would work together to “advance our cooperation”.

PM Rahman is expected to convene his first cabinet meeting later on Wednesday. The newly formed cabinet brings together seasoned politicians, former ministers and lawmakers, along with academics and party members, reflecting a mix of experience and party representation in the new government.