Govt okays secretariat relocation, targets operations from 2029

The Cabinet has given in-principle approval to relocate the Bangladesh Secretariat from Abdul Gani Road in Dhaka to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city.
The approval, along with that of three other proposals, came at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the secretariat on Sunday.
Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani shared the details at a press briefing in the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) following the meeting.
He said the government is targeting 2029 for the start of operations at the relocated secretariat.
Nasimul Gani said the Ministry of Housing and Public Works had proposed relocating the secretariat in line with Dhaka’s earlier master plan.
The proposed complex will be built on around 31.58 acres of the former trade fair ground in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. It will comprise 14 12-storey buildings with a total floor area of approximately 3.316 million square feet, including three basement levels and parking facilities for 3,800 vehicles.
The cabinet secretary said the proposed complex would reflect aspects of the architectural vision of Louis I Kahn, although it would not entirely replicate his original design.
The project will include a mosque, two multipurpose halls, each with a capacity of 350 people, a cafeteria and a post office. Around 30% of the project area will be allocated to green spaces and water bodies.
The plan also includes underground roads and underpasses to ensure smooth traffic movement around the complex, the Cabinet Secretary said.
According to the Cabinet briefing, the existing Secretariat occupies 17.57 acres and comprises 13 buildings, eight of which were constructed before independence. Several old buildings, including buildings 1, 2, 3 and 8, were constructed between 1937 and 1939, while building 5 was built in 1947.
These buildings were not designed to withstand earthquakes, posing a risk to the government’s key offices, as Dhaka is located in an earthquake-prone area, the briefing said.
The proposed complex is intended to address the shortage of office space and improve working conditions for government officials and employees.
Apart from approving the relocation of the secretariat, the Cabinet also approved a proposal to rename the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs as the Ministry of Women and Children. Its existing Bengali name, ‘Mohila O Shishu Bishoyok Montronaloy’, will also be replaced with ‘Nari O Shishu Bishoyok Montronaloy’.
Additionally, the Cabinet gave policy and final approval to the draft Special Solar Power Installation Ordinance, 2026, subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.
The Cabinet Secretary said the ordinance could be promulgated as early as Monday (today), subject to completion of the necessary formalities.
The Cabinet also approved a proposal for Bangladesh to accede to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.
The convention provides a framework for sharing information and promoting shared responsibility in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides.