The Tamesis
February 19, 2026
Dhaka – Newly elected Prime Minister Tariq Rahman today directed ministers and ministers of state to prioritize the best interests of the people.
Foreign Minister Shamma Obaid Islam told reporters after the meeting that he gave the directives while chairing the first cabinet meeting at the Secretariat.
She said Tariq was primarily focused on the tasks given to the government by the people.
He also emphasized that all departments must perform their duties seriously and comprehensively on behalf of the public.
“We were elected by the people and we will stand by them and serve them faithfully,” Obeid quoted the prime minister as saying.
She added that the Prime Minister further directed that all ministries must adhere to the electoral promises made to the people and those made by the BNP and ensure that their work reflects these promises.
Sources from the project office said the meeting started at 3:00 pm and lasted for an hour.
Tariq visited the Secretariat for the first time as Prime Minister today. For more than a decade, almost all cabinet and secretarial meetings have been held in the Prime Minister’s Office.
After the cabinet meeting, a secretarial meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m.
Through these contacts, the new Prime Minister officially started working in the designated office of the Secretariat for the first time.
