Sheikh Rabiul Alam Entrusted with Three Transport Portfolios

Following a resounding victory in the 13th General Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has formed a government with a commanding two-thirds majority. On Tuesday, 17 February 2026, the executive structure of the new administration took shape as 25 full Ministers and 24 Ministers of State were officially sworn into office.

In a notable move that underscores his rising influence within the party, Sheikh Rabiul Alam Robi, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Dhaka-10, has been entrusted with a triple-header of critical portfolios. He will simultaneously lead the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the Ministry of Railways, and the Ministry of Shipping.

A Strategic Consolidation of Transport

By placing all three primary modes of national transport—land, rail, and water—under a single minister, the administration appears to be prioritising an integrated logistical framework. At 48 years of age, Sheikh Rabiul Alam is one of the younger faces in the cabinet, bringing a background of local leadership to the national stage.

Rabiul Alam’s ascent is rooted in his long-standing service as a member of the BNP’s National Executive Committee and as the Joint General Secretary of the Dhaka South city unit. His electoral victory in the highly contested Dhaka-10 seat was a close affair, where he secured 80,436 votes, narrowly defeating his nearest rival, Jasim Uddin Sarkar, who garnered 77,136 votes.

The New Cabinet: Key Appointments

A Coalition of Experience and Youth

The cabinet list reveals a calculated blend of veteran statesmen and "third-generation" politicians. Senior figures like Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury provide institutional memory, while the inclusion of younger leaders like Ishraque Hossain, Zunaid Saki, and VP Nur (appointed as Ministers of State) reflects the administration's desire to incorporate voices from the student-led movements that reshaped the political landscape in 2024.

Sheikh Rabiul Alam now faces the formidable task of modernising the nation’s infrastructure. His immediate priorities are expected to include the completion of pending bridge projects, the digitisation of the railway network, and the revitalisation of the country's sea and river ports to bolster international trade.