Shama Obaid Set for Ministerial Role

Shama Obaid Islam, Member of Parliament for Faridpur–2, is poised to be sworn in as a State Minister in the newly formed government, according to senior party and secretariat sources. Although an official gazette notification had yet to be issued as of Tuesday (17 February), her induction into the cabinet is widely regarded in political circles as imminent.

Representing the Faridpur–2 constituency, which comprises Nagarkanda and Saltha upazilas, Shama Obaid secured a commanding electoral mandate in the recent parliamentary election. A central Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), she polled 121,694 votes, defeating her nearest rival by a margin of 32,389 votes. The scale of her victory has established her as one of the most prominent and electorally robust representatives from the Faridpur district.

A summary of her electoral performance is provided below:

Shama Obaid is the daughter of the late K. M. Obaidur Rahman, a veteran politician and former minister who played a notable role in Bangladesh’s political development. Her political trajectory has, to some extent, followed this legacy. Over the years, she has been actively engaged in party organisation, particularly at the grassroots level, where she was instrumental in restructuring and revitalising local party units.

Her strong constituency presence and involvement in local development initiatives significantly bolstered her public standing. During the election campaign, she pledged to prioritise education reform, infrastructure enhancement, women’s empowerment, and employment generation. Observers note that her consistent engagement with constituents, coupled with her organisational responsibilities within the BNP, positioned her as a natural candidate for executive office following the party’s return to power.

Political analysts interpret her expected appointment as part of a broader strategy to foreground younger leadership within the government. Her elevation would also contribute to strengthening female representation in ministerial ranks, a matter of continuing public and institutional interest. Furthermore, it is believed that her dual experience in party organisation and electoral politics could enhance coordination between the political leadership and the administrative machinery.

Taken together, Shama Obaid’s anticipated appointment as State Minister represents more than personal advancement. It signals the consolidation of grassroots organisational experience, electoral legitimacy, and inherited political legacy within the framework of national governance.