In the new 50-member cabinet of the BNP-led government, 35 members, or 70%, come from business backgrounds. Among the ministers, 19, and among the state ministers, 16, have declared business as their profession in affidavits submitted to the Election Commission (EC). After businessmen, lawyers form the second-largest professional group in the cabinet, and some ministers and state ministers have mentioned multiple professions in their affidavits. These details were revealed after reviewing the affidavits of the Prime Minister, ministers, and state ministers submitted to the EC.
Politicians by Profession
The new Prime Minister, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, has listed “politics” as his profession, as has Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon. Only two ministers identified themselves solely as politicians; the rest, including state ministers, have alternative professions alongside politics. Among the 25 ministers who took oath at the South Plaza of the National Parliament on 17 February, two were appointed under the technocrat quota. Reviewing their affidavits shows that most ministers have listed business as their profession.
Ministers, State Ministers Listing Business as Their Profession
Several ministers have declared business as their profession. Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperative Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir; Finance & Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury; Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed; Power, Energy & Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud; Liberation War Affairs Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram; Environment, Forest & Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintu; Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad; Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu; Commerce, Industry, and Textiles & Jute Minister Khondkar Abdul Muktadir; Labour & Employment and Expatriate Welfare & Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury; Information & Broadcasting Minister Zahid Uddin Swapon; Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries & Livestock Minister Mohammad Amin ur Rashid; Civil Aviation & Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam (Rita); Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee; Disaster Management & Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu; Housing & Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher; Health & Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakawat Hossain; Post, Telecommunications & IT and Science & Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam; and Road Transport & Bridges, Railways & Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam all listed business as their profession.
Among the 16 state ministers, all have listed business as a profession. These include Civil Aviation & Tourism State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat; Commerce and Power, Energy & Mineral Resources State Minister Anindya Islam Amit; Industry, Textiles & Jute State Minister Md. Shariful Alam; Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaed Islam; Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries & Livestock State Minister Sultan Salauddin Tuku; Water Resources State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad; Youth & Sports State Minister Md. Aminul Haque; Road Transport & Bridges, Railways & Shipping State Ministers Habibur Rashid and Rajib Ahsan; Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperative State Minister Mir Shahe Alam; Liberation War Affairs State Minister Ishraque Hossain; Environment, Forest & Climate Change State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam; Labour & Employment and Expatriate Welfare & Overseas Employment State Minister Nurul Haque Nur; Disaster Management & Relief State Minister M Iqbal Hossain; Housing & Public Works State Minister Ahmad Sohel Manzur; and Cultural Affairs State Minister Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam. Education and Primary & Mass Education State Minister Bobi Hajjaj mentioned multiple professions, including business, though her primary profession is teaching at North South University. She also serves as a director of Datco Private Limited, managing director of Gyani IT, and managing partner of Veritas Academy.
Other Professional Groups
Six ministers and state ministers are lawyers, including Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman, Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan, State Minister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Land State Minister Barrister Kaiser Kamal, and Women & Children and Social Welfare State Minister Barrister Farzana Sharmin. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed listed both law and business. Two ministers are doctors: Women & Children and Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain (Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain), a former physician to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and Health & Family Welfare State Minister M A Muhit, who is also a researcher, teacher, and consultant.
Some ministers have diverse professional backgrounds. Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperative Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also mentioned “consultancy, agricultural income, bank profit, and honorarium.” Technocrat Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman listed “diplomat and economist” as his profession; he previously served as National Security Advisor under the interim government and as High Representative for the Rohingya issue. Disaster Management & Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu listed agriculture as his primary profession alongside business, while State Minister M Iqbal Hossain listed medical engineering and business. Other notable state ministers include Public Administration State Minister Md. Abdul Bari, a retired government officer; Finance & Planning State Minister Jonayed Saki, a publisher; and Information & Broadcasting State Minister Yaser Khan Chowdhury, an IT scientist.
Reactions to Business Dominance
Commenting on the dominance of businessmen, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftikharuzzaman told Jago News: “This will be a major challenge for the government, especially if ministers cannot rise above conflicts of interest in their ministries. They must refrain from participating in decisions affecting their own business or sector. Ministers and MPs should avoid any direct or indirect business dealings while in office. Failure to follow these principles could turn ministerial positions into avenues for profit, undermining a fair and competitive business environment, which would ultimately burden the public.”
However, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed welcomed the move, saying, “We see this as a positive. The biggest challenge for the new government is to accelerate the economy, improve law and order, and resolve banking issues. Business leaders in the cabinet understand the uncertainties and problems in the business community, and we hope they will take appropriate measures.”
Businesspersons also dominate among MPs elected in the 13th general election. Of 174 winners, 59% are businessmen, including at least 15 garment industry owners or related family members. The BNP won 209 seats, of which 145 winners (69%) listed business as their profession. The second-largest party, Jamaat, won 68 seats, with 20 (29%) listing business as their profession. Since Bangladesh’s first parliamentary election in 1973, the share of businessmen among MPs has steadily increased: 18% in 1973, 38% in 1991, and consistently dominant during successive Awami League governments. In the newly formed parliament, more than half of the MPs are businessmen.