Veteran politician and lawyer Nitai Roy Chowdhury has been sworn in as the Cultural Affairs Minister in the newly formed government following the 13th National Election.
With Nitai Roy Chowdhury, the Cultural Affairs Ministry received a full Minister after 2019.
The State Minister position for this Ministry is yet to be announced.
A vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and newly elected Member of Parliament from Magura-2, the 77-year-old leader is one of the most senior figures in the current cabinet. He previously served as a minister and MP and also held the post of Youth and Sports Minister during the rule of Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Outside politics, he is professionally known as a lawyer.
The new cabinet members took the oath on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament complex. President Mohammad Shahabuddin administered the oath after 4 pm in the presence of newly elected lawmakers, interim government representatives and invited guests, including regional delegates from South Asian countries.
The government has been formed under the leadership of BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman after the alliance secured a clear majority in parliament.
The Cultural Affairs Ministry was last run by the BNP from 2001-2006 under State Minister Selima Rahman in the Third Khaleda Zia cabinet. After that period, the ministry remained under Awami League leadership for multiple consecutive terms.
Cultural personality and actor-turned-politician Asaduzzaman Noor served as the last full Minister from 2014 to 2019, followed by the State Minister KM Khalid. Most recently, from March 2024 until the government’s fall in August, the State Minister role was briefly held by Naheed Izaher Khan.
During the interim administration period, filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki served as the Cultural Affairs Adviser, while Dr Asif Nazrul briefly oversaw the ministry for a short term before him.
