The average age of the members of the new cabinet led by prime minister Tarique Rahman is approximately 60 years. The oldest member is major (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, aged 81, while the youngest member, Nurul Haque Nur, is 31.
On Tuesday, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman took the oath of office along with the ministers and state ministers of the new government.
After being sworn in as prime minister, Tarique Rahman appointed 49 members to the cabinet, including 25 ministers and 24 state ministers.
Of the 50 members of the cabinet, the ages of 49 are available. The age of technocrat foreign minister Khalilur Rahman is not known.
Based on the available data, the average age of the 49 members stands at 59.61 years. It is known that Khalilur Rahman passed his SSC examination in 1969.
An analysis of age distribution shows that 39 out of the 49 members, nearly 80 per cent, are above 50 years of age.
Among them, 16 members fall within the 50–60 age bracket, 14 are between 61 and 70, and nine are above 70 years of age.
In addition, two members are between 31 and 40 years old, and eight are between 41 and 50. Prime minister Tarique Rahman is 57 years old.
Highly educated are 46
An analysis of the educational qualifications of the new ministers and state ministers shows that 46 of the 50 cabinet members possess higher education qualifications.
Among them, three hold PhD degrees and two are Bar-at-Law graduates. In addition, two members have passed SSC, one has passed HSC and one member is self-educated. Prime minister Tarique Rahman passed HSC.
According to election affidavits, the self-educated member is Ariful Haque Choudhury, elected from Sylhet-4 with the sheaf of paddy symbol. He has assumed responsibility as state minister for Labour, Employment and Expatriates Welfare.
Among the three PhD holders, ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, elected from Chandpur-1 with the sheaf of paddy symbol, has been appointed Minister of Education; Khalilur Rahman has been appointed foreign minister (technocrat); and MA Muhit, elected from Sirajganj-6 with the sheaf of paddy symbol, has been appointed state minister for Health and ICT.
62pc businesspersons
An analysis of the professional backgrounds of cabinet members shows that 31 out of the 50 members listed business as their principal profession in their respective election affidavits.
Accordingly, 62 per cent of the cabinet members are businesspersons.
In numerical terms, lawyers constitute the second-largest professional group, with seven members in the current cabinet.
In addition, two members, including Tarique Rahman, listed politics as their profession.