Explained: Why is it called a 'cabinet'?

When we think of cabinets, the first thought that comes to mind is of a piece of furniture where we store clothes and other necessities. But when it comes to the time right after an election, when a government is to be formed, cabinets mainly refer to the body of ministers, state ministers, and deputy ministers led by the prime minister of a country.

So how did the committee of ministers who are responsible for the executive functions of a government come to be named after a piece of furniture? As it turns out, they are actually related.

The term "cabinet" originates from the Italian "cabinetto" or the Latin "capanna", which in the 16th century referred to a small room or closet. In the subsequent century, in England, the word "cabinet" started being used to refer to a small room in a mansion or a palace, in the houses of nobility and royalty.

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Hasina springs cabinet surprises

In terms of governance, in England, the King maintained the English Privy Council, who counselled him on how to run his kingdom. A pattern is established here already, as privy nowadays means a small room or shed used as a toilet.

The advice or counsel received by the King from his Privy Council was often referred to as "cabinet counsel" during the 16th century. Charles I of England was the first to formally convene a Cabinet Council in the 17th century. The idea here is that the King and his group of trusted advisors would move from a larger public room to a more private room – a cabinet – when important discussions needed to be had in secrecy.

Oxford English Dictionary says Francis Bacon was the first person to use the term in English, and in his essay, he referred to cabinet councils being a norm in foreign countries such as France and Italy. Over time, the close group of ministers or secretaries in various countries who would directly advise the monarch, the president, the prime minister or whoever the ruler was, started being called the "cabinet". The word cabinet also started adopting a different meaning, evolving from a small room in a house to a furniture used for storage.

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Oath-taking ceremony: Ministers, state ministers enter Bangabhaban

As the Bangladeshi parliamentary system adopted many of its practices from older parliamentary systems like that of the British, the practice of calling the collection of ministers the cabinet has persisted. It is a common practice now in many other countries such as Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, and South Africa.