Zabihullah named to ICAPP standing body

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) representative Ismail Zabiullah has been appointed a member of the Standing Committee of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), a development that will see the party represented in one of Asia’s leading forums for political dialogue and cooperation.

The information was conveyed on 22 June through an email from the ICAPP Secretary General. Earlier, BNP Secretary General and Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, had formally proposed the name of Md Ismail Zabiullah for the position on behalf of the party.

Md Ismail Zabiullah, Adviser to the Prime Minister on the Ministry of Public Administration with the rank of minister, will represent BNP at the 45th Standing Committee Meeting of ICAPP, scheduled to be held in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, from 25 to 28 June 2026.

BNP Joint Secretary General Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel will also participate in the meeting as part of the party’s delegation.

Representatives of political parties from different Asian countries are expected to exchange views during the meeting on a range of issues, including regional cooperation, political dialogue, democracy, good governance, development and strengthening mutual understanding.

The appointment marks the return of BNP representation to the ICAPP Standing Committee. Previously, late BNP Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Noman served as a standing committee member from 2004 to 2005, while current Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan held the position from 2006 to 2009.

Party sources view the nomination of Md Ismail Zabiullah as a significant step forward in BNP’s international political engagement. It is also being regarded as an indicator of the party’s growing acceptance and diplomatic outreach in international political circles.

The development is expected to create broader opportunities for BNP to strengthen communication, cooperation and participation in multilateral dialogues with political parties across Asia.

Established in 2000, ICAPP is an international forum comprising political parties from countries across Asia. The organisation seeks to promote dialogue, cooperation, mutual understanding and trust among political parties while contributing to regional peace, stability and development.