Blurb:Around seventy per cent of ministers in Bangladesh’s new BNP-led government come from business backgrounds, raising concerns about possible conflicts of interest and the growing influence of wealthy entrepreneurs in national politics

Dhaka

Business leaders make up nearly 70 per cent of the new cabinet formed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) after its strong victory in the 13th parliamentary elections.

According to affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, 35 out of 50 cabinet ministers and state ministers have declared business as their profession. This includes 19 cabinet ministers and 16 state ministers. Lawyers form the second-largest professional group in the cabinet.

Despite being senior political figures, only Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon listed “politics” as their profession. Most others identified themselves as businesspersons or professionals from other fields.

Earlier this month, 25 ministers, including two technocrats, were sworn in at the National Parliament in Dhaka.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed concern over the heavy presence of business leaders in the government. TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman warned that ministers must avoid conflicts of interest and not take part in decisions that could benefit their own businesses. He said failure to do so could harm fair competition and place a burden on ordinary citizens.

The influence of business leaders also extends to Parliament. Of the 300 newly elected MPs, 174 — or 59 per cent — have business backgrounds. A recent TIB study found that 236 MPs are millionaires, including 13 billionaires.

The BNP won 209 seats, while Jamaat-e-Islami secured 68 seats, with many of their lawmakers also coming from business families.