Yunus Ally and U.S. Citizen Khalilur Rahman Appointed Foreign Minister

Dr. Khalilur Rahman fails to protect Bangladesh’s interests in all areas including Rohingya , humanitarian corridors , US warehouses and US trade agreements .

Staff Correspondent

Dhaka, 17 February 2026: A new controversy has erupted over the decision of BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to form the new cabinet of the 13th National Parliament. American citizen Dr. Khalilur Rahman, known to be close to the National Security Advisor and Chief Advisor of the interim government Muhammad Yunus, is being included as a minister under the technocrat quota, and multiple sources have confirmed that he is going to get the charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After this appointment, questions have arisen in political circles – how successful was Khalilur Rahman’s role in the Rohingya crisis, the humanitarian corridor proposal, and the recently signed trade agreement with the United States? Many believe that he failed to protect Bangladesh’s national interests in these areas and prioritized American interests.

Criticism is intensifying as to why Tarique Rahman chose such a person as Foreign Minister.

The role of the High Representative in the Rohingya crisis:

On November 19, 2024, the interim government appointed Muhammad Yunus Khalilur Rahman, the chief advisor to the government, as the High Representative for the Rohingya issue and priority issues. He was later made the national security adviser. But the Rohingya repatriation process did not show any progress during his tenure. Rather, the discussion has emerged that a ‘humanitarian corridor’ has been proposed in the name of increasing communication with Myanmar’s Arakan Army, which many consider risky for Bangladesh’s sovereignty. Critics say that it has protected regional geopolitical interests (especially US and Western influence) more than solving the Rohingya crisis.

Humanitarian Corridor Proposal:

The ‘humanitarian corridor’ proposal discussed under the leadership of Khalilur Rahman was initially raised to help the Arakan Army, but was later given the form of Rohingya assistance. But it has been feared that it will increase the risk to Bangladesh’s internal security and border control. Many political analysts believe that this proposal is the result of accepting international (especially US) pressure rather than the interests of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s interests ‘hurt’ in US trade deal:

Recently (February 2026), a trade agreement was signed with the United States, in which Khalilur Rahman played a key role. The agreement reduced the US counter-tariff on Bangladeshi goods from 20% to just 1% to 19%. Critics say that while it benefits Bangladeshi exporters slightly, it leaves US interests intact. The terms of the agreement have been accused of being unfairly competitive for Bangladesh, which could negatively impact domestic industry and employment.

The decision to appoint someone like Khalilur Rahman (who was close to the Yunus government and was called a ‘failure’ in the above areas) as the foreign minister in the new government led by Tarique Rahman is considered by many to be unusual. There is discussion in political circles that this shows continuity in BNP’s foreign policy or a tendency to comply with international pressure. Some believe that this is a deviation from the spirit of the July Revolution or a strategy to maintain US influence. Khalilur Rahman himself has not commented on this, but sources say that he will be sworn in soon. This appointment has sparked controversy since the first day of the new government, which may intensify in the coming days.