Daughter Follows Father’s Political Footsteps

Farzana Sharmin Putul, the newly appointed State Minister for Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare, has shared her heartfelt reflections on social media, marking a historic continuation of her family’s political legacy. Representing Natore-1 (Lalpur-Bagatipara) in parliament, she began her tenure in the very office where her late father once served the nation. On her first day at the ministry, she posted:

“Today marks my first day at the ministry. Thirty-three years ago, my father worked in this same office for the country. Today, I sit in the same room, ready to serve the nation.”

Farzana is among at least seven State Ministers in the new government whose political journeys follow in the footsteps of their parents, highlighting a growing trend of familial political inheritance.

Her father, the late Fazlur Rahman Patol, had a distinguished political career. He served as State Minister for Communications in 1991 under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government and became State Minister for Social Welfare in 1993. During the Four-Party Alliance government in 2001, he also held the post of State Minister for Youth and Sports. Patol represented Natore-1 as a Member of Parliament on four occasions and was a trusted advisor to the BNP Chairperson until his passing on 11 August 2016.

Farzana Sharmin contested the 13th parliamentary elections as the BNP candidate for her father’s seat, winning decisively with 102,197 votes. Immediately after her first election to parliament, she was appointed as State Minister in the same ministry where her father once held office, making her journey both symbolic and historically significant.

Reflecting on her emotional first day, Farzana wrote:

“There is not a moment day or night when my father is not with me. Sitting in the office, my eyes kept drifting to his name on the number 6 board. Each time, I felt him whisper, ‘I have been waiting here for you.’”

The following table summarises the political careers of Fazlur Rahman Patol and Farzana Sharmin:

This succession is widely seen as a striking example of political inheritance, demonstrating how one generation’s responsibilities can be seamlessly passed down to the next, blending family legacy with national service.