February 20, 2026, 10:33 pm
BNP is returning to power in Bangladesh after a two-decade wait. The party won 209 out of 297 seats in the 13th National Assembly elections, securing a single majority. After this landslide victory, the focus of discussion in all quarters is now on what the new cabinet under Tarique Rahman will be like.
According to high-level party sources and political analysts, Tarique Rahman is preparing to form a ‘smart cabinet’ comprising experienced and young talents with the aim of establishing good governance and rapid state reforms.
A government can be formed if it wins 151 out of 300 seats. A party can form a government if it wins 50.33 percent of the total seats. Accordingly, BNP is on track to form a government this time with a huge victory of 69.66 percent seats.
In addition, the number of BNP members in parliament could increase if the results of Sherpur-3 constituency, where the election was postponed due to the death of a candidate, and Chittagong-2 and 4 constituencies, where the results were suspended due to a court order, are announced. Along with this, there are 3 more seats for their allies.
The last time BNP won the 2001 election was to form a government. At that time, they had a single majority, but they formed a four-party alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. In that election, the symbol of the sheaf of rice won 195 seats. And in this election, Jamaat-e-Islami was the main rival of BNP. However, Jamaat lost to BNP by a huge margin in the election field. Out of the 297 seats declared, Jamaat-e-Islami candidates won 68 seats. Their allies won another 9 seats.
However, although it is not possible to say exactly how many members the cabinet will have, it is known that the BNP may form a well-organized and medium-sized cabinet this time to maintain administrative dynamics and reduce waste. It is estimated that the number of members of the new cabinet, including full ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers, may be limited to 35 to 40. However, even if a cabinet is formed with everyone, there is no option to increase this number.
Experienced policymakers at the center of the cabinet
The senior leaders of the party’s policy-making forum standing committee are likely to be given major responsibilities in the new government’s cabinet. Topping the list are Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Major (Retd.) Hafizuddin Ahmed, Begum Selima Rahman and Professor AZM Zahid Hossain.
Although there is talk of giving important responsibilities to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, there are also rumors of making him the president. However, among the members of the standing committee, Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain is going through physical illness in addition to his age.
Party sources said that senior leaders will be the main pillars of the government due to their administrative experience and long-standing political wisdom. Among them, senior leaders Nazrul Islam Khan and Begum Selima Rahman can be seen in important ministries under the technocrat quota.
However, the BNP has not yet said anything clear about who will get a place in the cabinet or who will be selected. Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the party’s standing committee, said, “We will have to wait a little while for this.”
BNP standing committee member Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told Dhaka Mail, “Many names are being written about. But nothing concrete is known yet. However, you can be sure that something good will happen.”
Meanwhile, there are discussions that the BNP is considering keeping some members of the interim government’s advisory council in the cabinet.
Tarique Rahman wants to bring a group of talented and skilled leaders into the administration by utilizing the provision (technocrat quota) to include ‘talented’ experts and people who are not members of parliament in the cabinet.
The discussion includes BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Humayun Kabir, BNP Media Cell Convener Professor Moudud Hossain Algir Pavel, BNP Chairman’s Advisor Mahdi Amin, Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP Convener Aminul Haque and Advisor Dr. Ziauddin Haider.
Sources say that while none of them will be included in the cabinet, many of them could be directly appointed to important policy-making positions in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Young and former members of parliament walk
A group of young and experienced former MPs are being seriously discussed in the cabinet to implement Tarique Rahman’s vision. They are – Advocate Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, ABM Ashraf Uddin Nijan, Barrister Mohammad Nowshad Jamir, Amanullah Aman, Habibur Rashid, Sheikh Rabiul Alam, Asadul Habib Dulu, Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Anindya Islam Amit, Rakibul Islam Bakul and Mohammad Ali Asgar Lobi.
Also likely to get a place in the cabinet are Nurul Islam Moni, Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Mujibur Rahman Sarwar, ABM Mosharraf Hossain, Zahir Uddin Swapan, former Chief Whip Joynal Abedin Faruk, Abdus Salam Pintu, Advocate Joynal Abedin, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Advocate Fazlur Rahman, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Shariful Alam, Mostafizur Rahman Babul and Afroza Khan Rita.
There are also rumors in the list about the names of Fazlul Haque Milon, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Shama Obaid, Shahidul Islam Babul, Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, Khandaker Abdul Moktadir Chowdhury, ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, Abdul Awal Mintu, Barkatullah Bulu, Md. Shajahan, Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, Dr. Reza Kibria, Md. Mosharraf Hossain and Sayeed Al Noman.
However, several top leaders of BNP’s affiliates and affiliates have been elected as members of parliament. Among them, Swechchhasebak Dal’s central general secretary SM Jilani and Rajib Ahsan, and Jubo Dal’s general secretary Nurul Islam Nayan have been elected. There is also talk that some of them may get a place in the new-youth-based cabinet.
The BNP also wants to properly evaluate the potential representation of the allied parties,
which have been with it for a long time in the street movement. Among the elected members of parliament of the coalition parties in the cabinet, Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha, Jonayed Saki, Bobby Hajjaj and Nurul Haque Nur are under discussion. Although he was defeated in the election, Mahmudur Rahman Manna is under discussion in the technocrat quota.
