A constitutional question over State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir’s reported British citizenship has emerged just days after his appointment, with the newly inducted cabinet member declining on Monday to say whether he had renounced his British citizenship before taking office.
Instead of directly answering repeated questions from journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kobir questioned who was behind reports about his citizenship and suggested that some people were “jealous” and did not want him to work.
A video of the exchange later went viral on social media, intensifying discussion over whether his reported dual citizenship is compatible with the constitutional requirements for appointment as a technocrat minister.
Asked directly whether he had renounced his British citizenship, Kobir said: “I am Bangladeshi. Here, I am Bangladeshi... Bangladeshi. I don’t think there is anyone who would question my Bangladeshi citizenship or my position.”
He did not, however, explicitly confirm or deny holding British citizenship or say whether he had formally relinquished it.
The question carries constitutional significance because Kobir entered the government under the technocrat quota.
Five new ministers and state ministers were sworn in on Friday, six months after the BNP government took office.
Kobir, who had been serving as the prime minister’s foreign affairs adviser, was appointed state minister for foreign affairs despite not being an elected member of the National Parliament.
Under the Constitution, up to one-tenth of cabinet members may be appointed from outside Parliament, but they must be qualified to be elected as MPs.
Article 66(2)(c) states that a person is disqualified from being elected or remaining an MP if the person “acquires the citizenship of a foreign state, or acknowledges allegiance to a foreign state.”
Kobir grew up in the United Kingdom from childhood and was involved in Labour Party politics there.
Several UK BNP leaders have said he is a British citizen, although they could not confirm whether he relinquished that citizenship before joining the cabinet.
Bangladesh government sources also said they had no information indicating that Kobir had submitted a request to renounce his British citizenship.
During Monday’s press interaction, journalists repeatedly sought clarification.
When one journalist referred to the debate on social media, Kobir asked: “Which one? Netizens? Where?”
As another journalist raised the question of whether dual citizenship posed an obstacle to holding ministerial office, Kobir asked who was publishing such reports.
“Who is so angry that they won’t let me work?” he said.
“Why are they angry? Are they angry about 2008 again? Are they angry about Moinuddin-Fakhruddin again?”
Kobir then shifted the discussion towards his commitment to Bangladesh.
“All the people who have taken a strong stand for the country, the patriotic people, those who stand for the country... those who are in the media, the people of the country, political leaders -- now we will all together, God willing, take this country forward,” he said.
His remarks, however, left the central question unanswered: whether he still holds British citizenship and, if he does, whether that affects his constitutional eligibility to serve as a member of the cabinet.
