Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the fifth term on Thursday. This comes after her party, the Awami League, secured a significant majority in the recent general elections.
President Mohammad Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to the 76-year-old Hasina at a ceremony held at the Bangabhaban presidential palace. The event was attended by politicians, foreign diplomats, civil society figures, and senior civil and military officials.
This marks Hasina's fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term as the 12th Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been leading the South Asian nation since 2009 and is one of the world's longest-serving female heads of government.
Following the Prime Minister, the new members of the cabinet were sworn in by the president. Hasina's party secured 223 seats out of 300 in the Parliament.
The opposition BNP boycotted the elections, demanding a non-party caretaker government for the polls, which was rejected.
Hasina has formed her government for the fourth straight term, appointing 25 ministers and 11 state ministers in her Cabinet. Notably, some prominent figures from the previous Cabinet, such as the foreign minister and finance minister, have been excluded. The portfolios for the new ministers and state ministers are expected to be announced later. The new council of ministers includes 14 new full ministers and seven state ministers. Among them, Samanta Lal Sen, a burn wounds specialist, is a surprise addition, known more for his medical expertise than political involvement. Simin Hossain Rimi, the daughter of Bangladesh's first Prime Minister, Tazuddin Ahmed, is among the new faces named as state ministers.