Who is Khalilur Rahman?

• Before taking charge as Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman served as NSA from April 2025 to February 2026. He was also appointed as the High Representative on the Rohingya issue.
• A retired diplomat, Rahman has held several international roles, including serving as a former United Nations official with UNCTAD and in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General.
• Within BNP circles, there have at times been murmurs of factional competition over posts and influence, particularly ahead of elections or cabinet formation. His appointment stands out because the BNP had sought his resignation in May 2025 and publicly criticised several of his policies.
• He has also long been seen as maintaining a somewhat distant relationship with the military establishment.
• The controversy intensified in May following remarks he made during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Tarique Rahman’s cabinet holds first meeting

Tarique Rahman Wednesday chaired the first meeting of his newly formed cabinet “to set the course for the new administration,” media reports said.

“The newly formed cabinet led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has begun its inaugural meeting to set the course for the new administration,” BDNews24 news portal said.

Rahman is presiding over the session, which began at 3 pm on Wednesday, his first official day in office, it said.

He is set to hold a separate meeting with secretaries after the cabinet discussion. Rahman, 60, will deliver his maiden address to the nation at 6:30 pm (local time), the state-run BSS news agency said, quoting a statement by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The BNP leader, 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, President Shahabuddin also administered the oath to 25 ministers and 24 state ministers on Tuesday at a ceremony, attended by several leaders from neighbouring countries.

Earlier in the day, 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, the BSS said.