Once criticised by BNP, outgoing NSA Khalilur Rahman to be foreign minister in Tarique’s Cabinet

Khalilur's inclusion in 50-member Cabinet, led by Tarique Rahman, represents a striking turnaround as BNP sought his resignation last year over comments on Tarique’s citizenship.

Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman and members of his Cabinet taking oath Tuesday. | By special arrangement

Dhaka: Dr. Khalilur Rahman, the outgoing national security adviser in Bangladesh’s interim administration, was Tuesday sworn in as the foreign minister in the new BNP-led government, signaling continuity in the country’s diplomatic and security policy as a new political chapter formally began in the country.

The oath-taking ceremony, held at the South Plaza of the Parliament complex, marked the inauguration of a 50-member Cabinet led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s victory in the 13th parliamentary elections.

In a break from a long-standing tradition, the swearing-in ceremony was held at the South Plaza instead of Bangabhaban, the Presidential palace.

The government is being formed under the leadership of Tarique Rahman. It includes 25 full ministers and 24 state ministers.

Dr. Khalilur Rahman’s appointment is particularly striking given that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party had demanded his resignation in May 2025 and openly criticized several of his policies. He has long been perceived as someone maintaining a distant relationship with the military establishment. 

The controversy had erupted in May from comments Khalilur made at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. 

Responding to questions about his residency in the United States, he said that if living in the U.S. led to him being labelled a foreign citizen, then by the same logic Tarique Rahman—who was then living in the United Kingdom for years in a self-imposed exile— could face similar allegations. 

“If you throw a stone at me, it might end up hitting someone else,” he said, urging critics to speak cautiously about issues of citizenship. 

Khalilur also visited New Delhi last November.

Home and abroad

Among other leaders, Salahuddin Ahmed was sworn in as the home minister, in one of the most closely watched assignments. He takes charge of a powerful portfolio that oversees law-enforcement, internal security and counterterrorism. 

The position is widely regarded as one of the most influential in the Cabinet, given its direct bearing on political stability and public order.

In a break from tradition, the swearing-in ceremony was held at the South Plaza instead of Bangabhaban, the Presidential palace. | By special arrangement

Ahmed is a senior BNP leader who served as a Member of Parliament from Cox’s Bazar-1 between 1996 and 2006. He was state minister for communications from 2001 to 2006 in the third cabinet of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. He earlier worked as her assistant private secretary after the BNP’s 1991 election victory.

Ahmed later became joint general secretary of the party and was appointed BNP spokesperson in 2015. The same year, he reportedly disappeared in Dhaka and resurfaced two months later in Shillong, India, in police custody. He was put on trial by India for illegally entering the country, and was acquitted by an Indian court in 2018, with the verdict upheld by an appellate court in February 2023. 

Among other senior figures named to key posts in the new Cabinet, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the secretary general of BNP, is expected to oversee Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, while Amir Khusru Mahmud Chowdhury will take charge of Finance and Planning, portfolios critical as the country grapples with mounting economic pressures. 

The Cabinet reflects a mix of party loyalists and technocrats. Bobby Hajjaj is set to lead Education and Primary and Mass Education, while Barrister Kaiser Kamal will oversee Lands. 

Shama Obaid Islam is also expected to play a role in foreign affairs, potentially alongside Dr. Rahman, indicating that responsibilities in that ministry may be structured to accommodate both political and technocratic leadership.

Other ministers will take on expansive portfolios: Sultan Salahuddin Tuku as Agriculture and Fisheries minister; Md. Shariful Alam for Commerce, Industry, and Textiles and Jute; and Sheikh Faridul Islam for Environment, Religious Affairs and Law. 

M.A. Muhit is to lead Health and Family Welfare, while M. Iqbal Hussain will oversee Disaster Management and Relief.

The swearing-in of Members of Parliament marks the formal end of the interim period and the beginning of a new political chapter in the country. 

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)