Six New Faces Join Tarique Rahman’s Cabinet

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s cabinet has been expanded with the induction of four ministers and two state ministers, taking the total number of cabinet members to 56.

The six newly appointed members took their oaths at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban on Friday evening, 21 August. The ceremony followed the swearing-in of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s new President. The oath marked another significant reshuffle of the government formed after the February 2026 general election.

The four ministers are Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha, Saching Prue Jerry and M Rashiduzzaman Millat. The two state ministers are Humayun Kabir and Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln.

Dr Moyeen Khan, a senior BNP leader and member of the party’s Standing Committee, is a member of parliament from Narsingdi-2. His inclusion gives the cabinet another experienced political figure with a long record of involvement in national politics.

Andalib Rahman Partha, chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party, represents Bhola-1 in parliament. His appointment also reflects the role of alliance partners in the government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Saching Prue Jerry, elected from Bandarban, has been serving as the convenor of the district BNP. His elevation brings representation from the Chittagong Hill Tracts into the expanded cabinet.

M Rashiduzzaman Millat, the member of parliament for Jamalpur-1, had previously served as a state minister for civil aviation and tourism. His elevation to the rank of minister represents a further expansion of his responsibilities within the government.

The appointment of Humayun Kabir is also notable. Before joining the cabinet as a state minister, he had been serving as the Prime Minister’s foreign affairs adviser. In that role, he had been involved in articulating the government’s foreign-policy positions and in diplomatic engagement with other countries. Official government information had listed him as an adviser with responsibilities connected to foreign affairs, disaster management and relief, and civil aviation and tourism. (Prime Minister’s Office Bangladesh)

Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln, a parliamentarian from Gaibandha-4, is the other newly appointed state minister.

The expansion comes several months after the formation of the new government in February. Tarique Rahman took office as Prime Minister on 17 February 2026, when the initial cabinet comprised 25 ministers and 24 state ministers, in addition to the Prime Minister. Contemporary records from the time show that the government initially had 50 members in total, including the Prime Minister. (BSS)

With the latest six appointments, the cabinet has grown to 56 members. The expansion is expected to provide the government with a broader distribution of political and administrative responsibilities as it continues its first year in office.

The changes also alter the structure of the Prime Minister’s advisory team. Following Humayun Kabir’s move into the cabinet, the number of Prime Ministerial advisers stands at nine, according to the information provided with the appointments. Five advisers hold the status of ministers, while four have the status of state ministers.

The latest appointments therefore represent more than a numerical expansion of the cabinet. They bring together senior BNP figures, an alliance partner, representatives from the hill districts and other parliamentary constituencies, while also promoting an existing government adviser to a formal cabinet position. The changes are likely to shape the allocation of responsibilities across the government as the administration moves forward with its policy and legislative agenda.