BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, once acting president of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal, has ascended from student activism to the helm of national politics.
Now elected to Parliament for the third time, he has been appointed Home Minister in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s cabinet.
Born on 30 June 1962 in Pekua Union, then part of Chakaria Upazila in Cox’s Bazar, Salahuddin earned his LLB in 1984 and LLM in 1986 from Dhaka University’s Law Department.
He qualified as an advocate and passed the 7th BCS administration cadre exam, setting the stage for a career that straddled public service and politics.
Salahuddin’s political journey began on campus, where he actively participated in anti-autocracy movements. He served as vice-president and later as acting president of Chhatra Dal, a path that led to periods of imprisonment.
He joined government service in 1991 as private secretary to then-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, a post he held until 1996. That year, he resigned to take charge of Cox’s Bazar district BNP and was subsequently elected to Parliament.
After being re-elected in 2001, Salahuddin served as State Minister for Communications in the BNP government. In 2008, while he was in prison and unable to contest the election, his wife Hasina Ahmed ran for his seat and won.
Following his release, Salahuddin was appointed joint secretary general of BNP in 2010.
In 2015, he served as the party’s spokesperson and remained a steady voice during turbulent political periods, including the unrest following the 5 August 2024 uprising and the return of Tarique Rahman.
Salahuddin’s political career illustrates a remarkable journey from student activism to senior leadership in national politics.
His latest appointment as home minister cements his enduring role in BNP’s leadership, demonstrating consistency and resilience amid the party’s most challenging times.
