Sultan Salahuddin Tuku- State Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Animal Resources -File photo

TANGAIL, Feb 18, 2026 (BSS) - Tangail residents, party leaders and activists 
expressed joy and excitement following the appointment of Sultan Salahuddin 
Tuku as a state minister, marking the first time since 36 years that a leader 
from Tangail-5 (Sadar) has been given a ministerial post.

Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, the newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) from 
Tangail-5, took his oath of office as the State Minister for Agriculture, 
Food, Fisheries and Animal Resources during the cabinet swearing-in ceremony 
held on Tuesday afternoon (February 17).

In the 13th National Parliamentary Polls, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party 
(BNP) candidate Tuku secured a commanding victory, receiving 1,31,279 votes. 
His nearest rival, Ahsan Habib Masud of Jamaat-e-Islami, trailed with 80,283 
votes.

Tuku, who previously led the central Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal, currently 
serves as the propaganda secretary of the BNP central committee. His 
political career has been marked by intense struggle; during the Awami League 
government, he faced approximately 350 cases and endured 12 terms of 
imprisonment, spending about five years in jail and 46 days in remand.

Residents and political figures have expressed hopes that Tuku's appointment 
will accelerate long-pending development projects, including construction of 
an embankment along the Jamuna River, a bridge at Mahmudnagar, improvements 
in town infrastructure, enhanced healthcare services, and employment 
opportunities for the educated unemployed. These were key promises that Tuku 
made during his election campaign.

Reacting to his appointment, State Minister Sultan Salahuddin Tuku told BSS, 
"The people of Tangail wanted to see me in the cabinet, and their hope has 
been fulfilled. I am grateful to Allah and to my leader Patriot Tarique 
Rahman. I seek the prayers of the people of Tangail Sadar and the entire 
country to discharge my duties with honesty and devotion. Inshallah, I will 
fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to me."