Five days into office, the new government has set an energetic tone, holding meetings to implement key promises in the BNP’s election manifesto.
From healthcare financing and airport infrastructure to anti-corruption measures and a proposed “family card” initiative, the early days of the government have been marked by administrative activity and policy signalling.
Political analysts say the pace of engagement reflects both the scale of the party’s electoral mandate and the expectations that accompany it.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired a meeting at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat on building a “Healthy Bangladesh”, in line with manifesto commitments to reform the healthcare sector.
BNP pledged that, with government financial support, registered private hospitals would provide specialised treatment at affordable costs for life-threatening and expensive conditions such as road accident injuries, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and cancer.
Under the proposed system, the National Health Protection Authority would use a “Health Protection Fund” to purchase services from private hospitals under public-private partnership arrangements.
Poor families would be eligible for assistance of up to Tk 500,000, while middle-income families would receive subsidised treatment at prescribed rates.
Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed of Brac University said the government’s early discussions on education and health signalled recognition of their importance.
However, he stressed the need for a structured plan.
“If the government wants to improve the education sector, it must adopt a clear action plan, identifying which sub-sectors will be prioritised over the next five years,” he said.
In a separate meeting on Sunday, the prime minister directed officials to move towards opening the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
After the meeting, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroz Khanam said discussions had focused on how to make the terminal operational as soon as possible.
“The prime minister is trying to ensure the third terminal can be opened soon,” she told reporters. “We discussed how to expedite the process. However, no specific timeline can be given at this stage. There will be an investigation first, and then work will begin.”
Asked why the terminal had not opened despite claims by the previous government that more than 99% of construction was complete, the minister said the question related to the interim administration and that the current government was now attempting to resolve the matter.
Analysts say the prime minister has also sought to shape the tone of parliamentary politics.
Professor Mamun Al Mostafa of Dhaka University’s political science department described Tarique’s decision to visit opposition leaders at their homes after securing a two-thirds majority as “unprecedented in recent years”.
BNP lawmakers have also decided not to accept duty-free vehicles or government plots, a move observers say could set a new precedent in political culture.
According to the prime minister’s additional press secretary, Atikur Rahman Bhuiyan, the head of the government has instructed ministers, state ministers and advisers to ensure punctual attendance at their offices.
Since taking the oath on 17 February, he has worked from the Secretariat for two consecutive days and even attended office at his Tejgaon office on Saturday, a weekly holiday.
On Thursday, he chaired an inter-ministerial meeting at the Cabinet Division to finalise action plans in line with election commitments.
Another major manifesto promise — the introduction of a “family card” — is also being prepared for phased implementation.
An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the prime minister discussed launching the programme experimentally before Eid. The government has formed a committee led by the finance minister to finalise guidelines and an implementation roadmap within days.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the government was committed to delivering its promises and would begin with pilot projects before expanding.
“We will start gradually as pilot projects,” he said. “We will identify mistakes and limitations through a trial-and-error process before full implementation. It is not possible to distribute cards to 45 million families at once.”
The government plans to eventually reach around 50 million families nationwide.
The information minister, Zahir Uddin Swapan, said distribution would begin this month, before Eid, as part of the government’s “widely publicised” commitment.
Some governance specialists have urged restraint in assessing the government’s performance so early.
Former secretary and governance expert AKM Abdul Awal Majumder said it was too soon to draw conclusions.
“People will need at least three months to judge implementation,” he said. “I am personally hopeful they will try to do well. But we must see whether programmes are implemented universally or along partisan lines.”
He pointed to past allegations surrounding social protection schemes, where critics claimed benefits disproportionately favoured party affiliates.
Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), described the government’s early activity as expected.
“A party that has secured a two-thirds majority has made many commitments,” he said. “There is accountability to the people. It is natural that they move to fulfil those promises.”
Following another meeting chaired by the prime minister, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie announced that a nationwide canal excavation programme would begin soon, with visible progress expected within 180 days.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo said the government would begin a five-year programme in May to plant 250 million trees nationwide — 50 million each year.
“Our target is five crore trees (50 million) annually,” he said, adding that any shortfall this year would be compensated in subsequent years.
Planting will focus on seven to eight priority areas, including char lands, riverbanks and embankments, roadsides, hilly regions, mangrove zones and saline-prone areas.
Tarique Rahman took the oath as prime minister on 17 February. Within days, his administration has moved to signal urgency across health, infrastructure, social protection and environmental policy.
Whether this early momentum translates into durable reform remains to be seen. For now, the government appears intent on demonstrating that its electoral mandate will be matched by administrative action.
