Dhaka, February 23: The newly formed cabinet of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, boasts an impressive 70% of its members with business backgrounds. This revelation comes from affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, indicating that out of 50 ministers and state ministers, 35 have identified business as their profession.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, an analysis of the affidavits presented by the Prime Minister, ministers, and state ministers shows that 19 cabinet ministers and 16 state ministers describe themselves as businessmen. Lawyers form the second largest professional group in the cabinet, with some members listing multiple professions. Notably, only two cabinet members, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haq Milan, have declared politics as their profession, although all are seasoned politicians.
Earlier, on February 17, 25 ministers, including two appointed under the technocrat quota, took their oaths at the South Plaza of the National Parliament in Dhaka.
Meanwhile, Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), warned that the predominance of businesspeople in the cabinet could pose challenges. He stated, “If ministers do not remain above conflicts of interest in cabinet decisions and ministry activities, their positions could become a means for business advantage. They should avoid participating in decisions that could benefit their own businesses or sectors, directly or indirectly.”
He cautioned that neglecting such standards could undermine competitive market conditions, burdening ordinary citizens with negative consequences.
Reports indicate that the influence of businesspeople extends beyond the cabinet. Among the 300 MPs elected in the 13th parliamentary elections, 174 (59%) have declared business as their profession, including at least 15 who are linked to the garment industry as owners or family members.
The BNP secured 209 seats, with 145 of its winning candidates identifying as businessmen, while 20 out of the 68 seats won by Jamaat-e-Islami are held by individuals from business backgrounds.
Last week, during a press conference in Dhaka, TIB researcher Mohammad Touhidul Islam presented a study titled “Thirteenth National Parliament Election Process and Affidavit-Based Observation,” which illustrated the assets, liabilities, and professional status of the newly elected parliament members.
According to reports from the renowned Bengali newspaper Bonik Barta, TIB’s findings reveal that 236 of the newly elected MPs are millionaires, constituting 79.46% of the total, including 13 billionaires.
Data shows that 189 BNP MPs are millionaires, representing 90.87% of the party’s newly elected members, while 38 Jamaat MPs are millionaires, making up 55.07% of its parliamentary strength.
— Arpit Yajgnik/DSC
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