Rajshahi Bureau: Under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the newly formed cabinet has appointed Rajshahi-2 (Sadar) lawmaker and veteran politician Mizanur Rahman Minu as the new Minister of Land.
The Cabinet Division confirmed his appointment on Tuesday (February 17). Earlier in the day, the newly elected members of the 13th National Parliament took their oaths. Later, at 4 p.m., Minu was sworn in as a member of the cabinet in a grand ceremony held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
This appointment marks the end of a two-decade-long wait for Rajshahi to have a full minister in the national cabinet. The last minister from the district was Barrister Aminul Haque, who served as the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in 2001 during the BNP government. Since then, despite the Awami League being in power for four consecutive terms, no lawmaker from Rajshahi’s six constituencies had been appointed as a full minister. However, Shahriar Alam, the MP from Rajshahi-6, served as a State Minister for Foreign Affairs.
In the recently concluded 13th National Election, Minu secured a landslide victory in Rajshahi-2, defeating his nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. Mohammad Jahangir, by a margin of 28,176 votes. This is his second term in parliament; he was first elected in 2001 during the 8th National Election from the same constituency.
Beyond parliamentary politics, Minu has extensive experience in local government. He served as the Mayor of the Rajshahi City Corporation in two consecutive terms — from 1991 to 1993 and again from 1994 to 2006. Under his leadership, Rajshahi gained recognition as a clean, green, and modern city.
A politician who rose from the ranks of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Minu has held several key positions within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, including President of the Rajshahi Metropolitan Unit, Central Organizing Secretary, and Joint Secretary General. He currently serves as an adviser to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Following the announcement of his appointment as Land Minister, Rajshahi witnessed a wave of celebration. Processions and sweet distributions were organized across the city under the leadership of Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Mahfuzur Rahman Riton.
Party leaders believe that Minu’s administrative experience and popularity were key factors behind his inclusion in the cabinet. They expressed optimism that his leadership would play a vital role in modernizing land administration in the Barind region and ensuring the protection of citizens’ land rights.
