B'desh PM Tarique Rahman chairs first cabinet meeting, sets 180-day agenda

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday chaired the first meeting of his newly formed cabinet, which set a 180-day priority plan with a focus on controlling commodity prices, maintaining law and order and stabilising supply chains.

Rahman, the 60-year-old chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sworn in as the 11th prime minister on Tuesday after leading his party to a forceful victory in the 13th Parliamentary polls held on February 12.

The first meeting of the new cabinet was held at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said it is customary for a newly formed government to hold a session on its first day in office.

 

The government has set a 180-day priority plan, with initial focus on controlling commodity prices, maintaining law and order, stabilising supply chains, and ensuring uninterrupted gas and electricity supply, Ahmed was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper.

He added that while governments often set priorities for the first 100 days, the new Bangladesh cabinet has outlined a 180-day plan, with details to be shared later.

"As part of our initial priorities, we will work to further improve the situation regarding commodity prices, keep the supply chain intact, and ensure that there is no disruption in the power and energy sectors, particularly gas and electricity," he said.

Salahuddin said Prime Minister Rahman also met with secretaries of various ministries, urging them to implement the government's manifesto and prioritise the people's mandate, the newspaper said.

State-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), quoting sources familiar with the development, said that the prime minister "provided guidelines as per his party's election manifesto to the ministries concerned."  Separately, Ahmed also warned that "mob culture" will no longer be tolerated, BDNews24 news portal reported.

Speaking after a meeting with officials at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Salahuddin said, "Mob culture is over in Bangladesh. It will not be encouraged in any way. People may hold rallies and programmes as part of democratic practice, but highways cannot be blocked to realise demands."  Bangladesh has witnessed several cases of mob lynching in recent months, mostly targeting members of the minority communities.

Rahman, who became the prime minister for the first time, replaced Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, who had taken charge in August 2024 after the collapse of the Awami League regime.

Rahman, the son of late President Ziaur Rahman and former premier Khaleda Zia, returned home in December after living in London in self-exile for 17 years.

Along with Rahman, 25 ministers and 24 state ministers also took the oath of office on Tuesday.

Earlier Wednesday, Rahman paid rich tributes to his parents, President Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, by placing wreaths at their graves at Zia Udyan in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area at noon.

Later, flanked by the new cabinet colleagues, he also placed another wreath at the graves and offered prayers.