Cabinet of Bangladesh

Cabinet of Bangladesh
Bengali: বাংলাদেশের মন্ত্রিসভা
Agency overview
Formed26 April 1971; 53 years ago (1971-04-26)
Typehighest executive body of the Central government
JurisdictionGovernment of Bangladesh
HeadquartersBangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka
Chief Adviser responsible
Agency executive
Child agency
  • Ministries of the government of Bangladesh
Websitewww.bangladesh.gov.bd

The Cabinet of Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশের মন্ত্রিসভা, Bangladesher Mantrisabha) is the chief executive body in the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The cabinet is the collective decision-making body of the entire government normally under the Office of the Prime Minister, composed of the prime minister and other cabinet ministers. During a caretaker government or interim government, the cabinet is instead composed of the chief adviser and other cabinet advisers. These "advisorial" positions are equivalent to their respective ministerial positions.

Responsibility

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Ministers of the government, according to the Constitution of Bangladesh, are selected primarily from the elected members of House of Nation, also known as Jatiya Sangsad. Cabinet ministers are heads of government departments, mostly with the office of the "Minister of [department, e.g. Defence]". The collective co-ordinating function of the cabinet is reinforced by the statutory position that all the ministers jointly hold the same office, and can exercise the same powers.

The cabinet is the ultimate decision-making body of the executive within the parliamentary system of government in traditional constitutional theory of Bangladesh. This interpretation was originally put across in the work of the Bangladesh constitution in 1972. The political and decision-making authority of the cabinet has been gradually increased over the last few decades, with some claiming its role has been usurped by "prime ministerial" (i.e. more "presidential") government.

The cabinet is the executive committee of the Prime Minister's Office, a historic body which has legislative, judicial and executive functions, and whose large membership does include member(s) of the opposition or coalition. Its decisions are generally implemented either under the existing powers of individual government departments, or by the cabinet secretary, the most senior civil servant in Bangladesh.

There shall be a Cabinet for Bangladesh having the Prime Minister at its head and comprising also such other Ministers as the Prime Minister may from time to time designate. The executive power of the Republic shall, in accordance with this Constitution, be exercised by or on the authority of the Prime Minister. The Cabinet shall be collectively responsible to Parliament. All executive actions of the Government shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President. The President shall by rules specify the manner in which orders and other instruments made in his name shall be attested or authenticated, and the validity of any order or instrument so attested or authenticated shall not be questioned in any court on the ground that it was not duly made or executed. The President shall make rules for the allocation and transaction of the business of the Government.

— Article 55 (1-6): The Cabinet; Part-IV (The Executive), Chapter II: The Prime Minister and the Cabinet, The Constitution of Bangladesh[1]

Current cabinet and cabinet-rank officials

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22nd Cabinet of Bangladesh
Incumbent
Date formed8 August 2024
People and organisations
Head of statePresident Mohammed Shahabuddin
Head of governmentChief Adviser Muhammad Yunus
Total no. of members26
Member partyIndependent
History
PredecessorHasina V

The most influential part of the executive of the Bangladesh government are the ministries.[2] A ministry headed by a minister or state minister (independent charges) shall be responsible for conducting the business of his ministry/division in the parliament unless otherwise directed by the Prime Minister's Office. The secretary is the administrative head of a ministry or division; and is assisted by an additional secretary, joint secretary, deputy secretary, senior assistant secretary and assistant secretary. A few ministries consist of more than one division.

The following is the list of members of the interim government:[a][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]

Role/Portfolio Name Date of Appointment Date of Termination Career Highlights
Head of Interim Government
Chief Adviser and also in-charge of: Muhammad Yunus 8 August 2024 Currently in Office
Special Positions Under the Chief Adviser's Office
Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser

(Status equivalent to Secretary)

Shafiqul Alam 13 August 2024 Currently in Office Journalist and Bangladesh Bureau Chief of Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Principal Coordinator for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Affairs

(Status equivalent to Senior Secretary)

Lamiya Morshed 14 August 2024 Currently in Office Executive Director of Yunus Centre and Grameen Healthcare Trust
Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Defense and National Integration

(Status equivalent to an Adviser)

Abdul Hafiz 22 August 2024 Currently in Office Retired Lieutenant General of Bangladesh Army
Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser

(Status equivalent to an Adviser)

Mahfuz Alam 28 August 2024 Currently in Office Liaison Committee Coordinator of Anti-Discrimination Students Movement
Chief Adviser's Envoy on International Affairs

(Status equivalent to an Adviser)

Lutfey Siddiqi 4 September 2024 Currently in Office Professor in Practice, London School of Economics and Political Science

Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore

High Representative to the Chief Adviser on Rohingya Issues and Priority Affairs

(Status equivalent to an Adviser)

Khalilur Rahman 19 November 2024 Currently in Office Former High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada

Former Head of Economic, Social and Development Affairs of Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations

Member, Board of Trustees, East West University

Interim Government Advisers
Ministry of Housing and Public Works

Ministry of Industries

Adilur Rahman Khan 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Deputy Attorney General of Bangladesh and Founder of Odhikar
Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism

Ministry of Land

A F Hassan Ariff 8 August 2024 20 December 2024 (died in office) Former Attorney General of Bangladesh and Former Adviser in the 2007 Caretaker Government
Ministry of Religious Affairs A F M Khalid Hossain 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Professor & Naib-e-Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh
Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives

Ministry of Youth and Sports

Asif Mahmud 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Key Coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement
Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment

Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs

Asif Nazrul 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka
Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Farida Akhter 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Founding Executive of UBINIG
Ministry of Labour and Employment

Ministry of Shipping

M Sakhawat Hussain 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Retired Brigadier General of Bangladesh Army and Former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md. Touhid Hossain 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology

Nahid Islam 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Key Coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Nurjahan Begum 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Acting Managing Director of Grameen Bank
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Ministry of Water Resources

Rizwana Hasan 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Chief Executive, BELA
Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Science and Technology

Salehuddin Ahmed 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank
Ministry of Social Welfare

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs

Sharmeen Murshid 8 August 2024 Currently in Office Chief Executive Officer, Brotee
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Bidhan Ranjan Roy 11 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Director-cum-Professor of National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital
Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Supradip Chakma 11 August 2024 Currently in Office Chairman, Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief

Ministry of Liberation War Affairs

Faruk-e-Azam 13 August 2024 Currently in Office Liberation War veteran and Bir Protik awardee
Ministry of Food Ali Imam Majumder 16 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Cabinet Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture

Ministry of Home Affairs

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury 16 August 2024 Currently in Office Retired Lieutenant General of Bangladesh Army and Former Director General of Bangladesh Rifles
Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources

Ministry of Railways

Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges

Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan 16 August 2024 Currently in Office Former Secretary of Power Division
Ministry of Education

Ministry of Planning

Wahiduddin Mahmud 16 August 2024 Currently in Office Economist, Member of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy and Former Adviser in the 1996 Caretaker Government
Ministry of Cultural Affairs Mostofa Sarwar Farooki 10 November 2024 Currently in Office Filmmaker
Ministry of Commerce

Ministry of Textiles and Jute

Sheikh Bashir Uddin 10 November 2024 Currently in Office Managing Director, Akij-Bashir Group
Special Assistant to the Interim government under Minister of State
Ministry of Home Affairs Khoda Baksh Chowdhury 10 November 2024 Currently in Office Former Inspector General of Police, Bangladesh Police
Ministry of Education M Aminul Islam 10 November 2024 Currently in Office Former professor, University of Rajshahi
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Md Sayedur Rahman 10 November 2024 Currently in Office Vice-Chancellor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

List of previous cabinets

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The following is a list of government cabinets of Bangladesh.[34][35]

No. Cabinet Formation date Election Governing party Governing system Ref.
1 Mujib I 17 April 1971 None Bangladesh Awami League Provisional
2 Mujib II 13 January 1972 1970 Bangladesh Awami League Provisional [36]
3 Mujib III 16 March 1973 1973 Bangladesh Awami League Parliamentary
4 Mujib IV 25 January 1975 None BaKSAL Presidential
5 Mostaq 15 August 1975 None Impartial Interim
6 Sayem 6 November 1975 None Impartial Interim
7 Zia 15 April 1979 1978 Military/BNP Presidential [37]
8 Sattar 30 May 1981 1981 BNP Presidential
9 Ershad 24 March 1982 1986 Military/Jatiya Party Presidential
10 Shahabuddin 6 December 1990 None Impartial Interim
11 Khaleda I 20 March 1991 1991 & Feb 1996 BNP Parliamentary
12 Habib 30 March 1996 None Impartial Caretaker
13 Hasina I 23 June 1996 Jun 1996 Bangladesh Awami League Parliamentary
14 Latif 15 July 2001 None Impartial Caretaker
15 Khaleda II 10 October 2001 2001 BNP Parliamentary
16 Iajuddin 29 October 2006 None Impartial Caretaker
17 Fakhruddin 11 January 2007 None Impartial Caretaker
18 Hasina II 6 January 2009 2008 Bangladesh Awami League Parliamentary
19 Hasina III 24 January 2014 2014 Bangladesh Awami League Parliamentary
20 Hasina IV 7 January 2019 2018 Bangladesh Awami League Parliamentary
21 Hasina V 11 January 2024 2024 Bangladesh Awami League Parliamentary
22 Yunus 8 August 2024 None Impartial Interim

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "Chapter 3: Chapter:3 The Federal Government". Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  2. ^ "বাংলাদেশ (Bangladesh) জাতীয় তথ্য বাতায়ন | গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ সরকার | People's Republic of Bangladesh".
  3. ^ "Honorable Chief Adviser and Advisers". Chief Adviser's Office, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 17 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Appointment of Dr. Muhammad Yunus as Chief Adviser to the Interim Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 8 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Appointment of 16 Persons as Advisers to the Interim Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 8 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Muhammad Yunus takes oath as head of Bangladesh's interim government". Al Jazeera. 8 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Bangladesh gets interim government after four-day vacuum". Prothom Alo. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Distribution of Ministry-Divisional Offices among Chief Adviser and Advisers" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 9 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Redistribution of offices among advisers to the Interim Government" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 11 August 2024.
  10. ^ "The Chief Adviser to the Interim Government redistributed the responsibilities of various ministries and departments among the Advisers to the newly formed Government" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 13 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Distribution-re-distribution of offices among the advisers of the Interim Government" (PDF). Cabinet Division,Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 16 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Appointment of Special Assistant to Hon'ble Chief Adviser" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 22 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Redistribution of offices among advisers to the Interim Government" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 27 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Mahfuz Alam special asst to chief adviser". The Daily Star. 29 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Appointment of Honorable Chief Adviser's Envoy on International Affairs" (PDF). Cabinet Division Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 4 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Shafiqul Alam appointed Press Secretary to Chief Adviser". Dhaka Tribune. 14 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Shafiqul Alam appointed chief adviser's press secretary". The Business Standard. 13 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Shafiqul Alam made CA's press secretary". The Financial Express. 15 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Lamiya Morshed appointed principal coordinator for SDGs at chief adviser's office". The Business Standard. 14 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Lamiya Morshed appointed Principal Coordinator for SDGs at Chief Adviser's office". unb.com.bd. 14 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Lamiya Morshed named SDG principal coordinator at CA's Office". businesspostbd.com. 15 August 2024.
  22. ^ "List of Officers (Not in order of seniority)". Chief Adviser's Office, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
  23. ^ "অন্তর্বর্তীকালীন সরকারের উপদেষ্টা পদে নিয়োগদান" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 10 November 2024.
  24. ^ "President swears in three new advisers". Dhaka Tribune. 10 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Who are the new advisers?". The Daily Star. 10 November 2024.
  26. ^ "অন্তর্বর্তীকালীন সরকারের প্রধান উপদেষ্টা, উপদেষ্টাগণের মধ্যে বিভিন্ন মন্ত্রণালয়-বিভাগের দায়িত্ব বণ্টন- পুনর্বণ্টন" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali).
  27. ^ "Govt announces another major reshuffle as three new advisers sworn in". The Business Standard. 11 November 2024.
  28. ^ "অন্তর্বর্তীকালীন সরকারের প্রধান উপদেষ্টা কর্তৃক বর্ণিত ব্যক্তিবর্গকে প্রতিমন্ত্রীর পদমর্যাদায় বিশেষ সহকারী হিসেবে নিয়োগদান" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (in Bengali). 10 November 2024.
  29. ^ "CA appoints three special assistants to aid home, health, education advisers". Prothomalo. 11 November 2024.
  30. ^ "ড. খলিলুর রহমান-কে উপদেষ্টার মর্যাদায়, প্রধান উপদেষ্টার রোহিঙ্গা সমস্যা ও অগ্রাধিকারপ্রাপ্ত বিষয়াবলী সংক্রান্ত হাই রিপ্রেজেন্টেটিভ হিসেবে নিয়োগদান" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. 19 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ "উপদেষ্টা মর্যাদায় রোহিঙ্গা বিষয়ক 'হাই রিপ্রেজেন্টেটিভ' খলিলুর". bdnews24.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ "Khalilur Rahman appointed as High Representative to CA". Dhaka Tribune. 19 November 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ "Khalilur Rahman appointed as CA's high representative". The Business Standard. 19 November 2024.
  34. ^ History of Bangladesh (1971-present), from academia.edu.
  35. ^ Rahman, Syedur (27 April 2010). Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810874534.
  36. ^ Preston, Ian (2005) [First published 2001]. A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia. Europa Publications. p. 17. ISBN 9781857431148.
  37. ^ Preston, Ian (2005) [First published 2001]. A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia. Europa Publications. p. 19. ISBN 9781857431148.