By Hemayet Hossain

The central talking point in the country’s political arena today is Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s uncompromising and firm stance on governance. Recent decisive actions have sent an unambiguous signal: no minister, member of parliament, or influential party leader will be spared if entangled in allegations of corruption, power abuse, or controversy.

The tone was set last September following an attack and vandalism at the Radda MCH-FP Health Center in Mirpur, Dhaka. When the involvement of local political figures surfaced, pointing toward Reserved Seat MP Ferdousi Ahmed Misti, the Prime Minister promptly directed her to step down. On October 1, she formally submitted her resignation to the Speaker of the National Parliament.

Shortly thereafter, on October 17, a video clip showing State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain holding a firearm during an anti-narcotics drive in Gendaria went viral, sparking fierce public debate. Citing administrative indiscipline and inappropriate conduct for a cabinet member, the Prime Minister instructed Ishraque to resign as well—a decision that reverberated across the national political landscape. This comes on the heels of the recent portfolio shift where Zahir Uddin Swapan was removed as Information Minister and reassigned as the Prime Minister’s Advisor, reinforcing the premise that occupying a high-profile office offers no guarantee of permanence without absolute propriety.

Against this backdrop, scrutiny has now shifted to two key cabinet members in charge of health and education.

Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bokul has come under fire over alleged irregularities surrounding a Tk 342-crore procurement project for tablets under the Family Card initiative. Allegations raised publicly suggest an attempt to award the contract to a firm owned by the minister’s nephew using the Navy Shipyard as an intermediary channel.

Concurrently, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haq Milan finds himself amidst growing controversy. Reports alleging administrative misconduct involving family members and former aides have surfaced, alongside mounting public outrage over his handling of the recent HSC examinations. His insistence on conducting exams during severe rain and waterlogging, coupled with insensitive remarks directed at distressed examinees on social media, has sparked widespread calls for his resignation.

Crucially, the Prime Minister’s push for accountability extends beyond political appointees to the civil bureaucracy. Unannounced visits to public hospitals, educational institutions, and government housing areas—bypassing formal bureaucratic briefings to speak directly with citizens—signal a fundamental shift. Performance is no longer evaluated by administrative paperwork or official assurances, but by real, tangible service delivery on the ground.

The overarching takeaway is clear: political affiliation or ministerial status will no longer serve as a shield against wrongdoing. Those who failed to grasp this shift have already lost their posts or face severe political fallout, while those who remain oblivious to the changing climate face an uphill battle to retain their positions.

However, political resignations alone should not be the endgame. For the government’s zero-tolerance policy to retain long-term public trust, these allegations must be met with independent investigations, transparent due process, and equal application of the law.