Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Move into State Guest House Jamuna as Official Residence

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has chosen the State Guest House Jamuna, located on Hare Road in the capital, as his official residence. The decision has been made considering security arrangements and the convenience of commuting to the Secretariat.

Currently, Professor Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of the recently dissolved interim government, is residing at Jamuna. According to the Government Housing Directorate under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, he will vacate the residence on February 27.

Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, Md. Khalekuzzaman Chowdhury, told Prothom Alo on Monday that the Prime Minister has expressed his intention to stay at Jamuna. He said that once the former chief adviser leaves and renovation work is completed, the Prime Minister will move in.

During the tenure of the interim government, alternative locations for the Prime Minister’s residence were considered, including areas near the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. However, due to time constraints and other factors, those options were not finalized.

At present, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is residing in his private home in Gulshan and commuting to the Secretariat on Abdul Gani Road and the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.

Sources at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works said the Prime Minister intends to host Iftar events during the holy month of Ramadan and hold Eid-ul-Fitr greetings at Jamuna. Renovation work is therefore being expedited.

Jamuna, located at 30 Hare Road, spans approximately 3.25 acres. Adjacent bungalows at 24 and 25 Hare Road are currently occupied by senior security officials assigned to the former chief adviser. After he vacates Jamuna, those bungalows will be allocated to security personnel responsible for the Prime Minister.

During the Awami League government, Ganabhaban served as the Prime Minister’s official residence. Following the student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024, which led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, protesters entered Ganabhaban and caused extensive damage. The interim government later decided to convert Ganabhaban into the “July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum,” and construction work is ongoing, making it unavailable as a residence.

In the final months of the interim government, discussions were held regarding the residence of the incoming Prime Minister. On July 7 last year, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works formed a six-member high-level committee, led by an additional secretary, to recommend suitable accommodations. The committee submitted its report on July 20, suggesting that State Guest House Jamuna and the adjacent bungalows at 24 and 25 Hare Road could be considered under an integrated plan.

The Hare Road, Minto Road, and Bailey Road areas are commonly known as the “Ministers’ Zone.” After the fall of the Awami League government, advisers of the interim administration began residing in this area.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a landslide victory in the 13th National Parliament election held on February 12 and formed the government on February 17 following the oath-taking ceremony.

Following the transfer of power, advisers of the dissolved interim government have begun vacating their official residences in the Ministers’ Zone. The Government Housing Directorate confirmed that most advisers have already left, with the remaining two expected to vacate soon.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who previously served as National Security Adviser under Professor Yunus, had already been residing at 33 Minto Road and will continue to do so as a technocrat minister in the BNP government.

The Government Housing Directorate completed the allocation of residences for new ministers and state ministers on Wednesday. Formal letters will be issued shortly. However, officials said ministers may take some time to move in due to necessary renovation work, and most are expected to relocate after Eid-ul-Fitr.

Several cabinet members have been allocated residences in Hare Road, Bailey Road, and Minto Road, while some senior ministers have been allotted government residences in Gulshan and Dhanmondi.

Additionally, state ministers have been assigned apartments at the Ministers’ Apartment complex on Hare Road. The complex consists of three 10-storey buildings, each containing 10 flats, for a total of 30 apartments.