Is New State Minister’s Appointment Valid? Questions Rise Over Foreign Citizenship
Humaiun Kobir recently took oath as State Minister for Foreign Affairs. This appointment has raised questions. These questions concern his foreign citizenship. Mr. Kobir previously advised the prime minister on foreign affairs.
Mr. Kobir was born in Sylhet. He moved to the United Kingdom as a young child. He grew up there and attended university. He became active in UK politics. Mr. Kobir also obtained British citizenship.
Sources from Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry gave details. Mr. Kobir gave up his regular passport on February 23. This was after he became an adviser. He received an official passport that month. He has since made 11 foreign trips. These included the United States and China.
UK BNP leaders confirmed Mr. Kobir holds British citizenship. They could not confirm if he renounced it before becoming State Minister. Government sources had no information about any renunciation request. Mr. Kobir was unreachable for comment. The Foreign Ministry also did not respond.
Bangladesh’s Constitution outlines minister appointments. Article 56 explains these rules. Most ministers must be members of Parliament. A few can be from outside Parliament. But they must be eligible for election as an MP.
Article 66(2)(C) addresses citizenship. It bars a person from being an MP if they gain foreign citizenship. It also bars them if they show loyalty to another country.
Other politicians have faced this issue. For instance, Abdul Awal Mintoo renounced his US citizenship. This was before the 13th election. He is now Environment Minister. Shama Obaed also gave up her US citizenship. Shammi Ahmed’s nomination was cancelled in 2024. She held Australian citizenship.
Senior lawyer Sharif Bhuiyan spoke on the matter. He believes a foreign citizen cannot be a state minister. He said the public is unaware if Mr. Kobir renounced his citizenship. Mr. Bhuiyan explained that just applying is not enough. The foreign country must complete the process. He suggested Mr. Kobir’s appointment might be unconstitutional.
Mr. Kobir has a strong academic background. He earned degrees from universities like Sussex and Cambridge. He also held senior roles in the British government.
