Election-time government may be announced Friday: Muhith

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said the election-time government may be announced on Friday.

“There will be no new faces in the election-time cabinet,” Muhith said after a cabinet committee meeting on Thursday.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda will announce the national election schedule on Thursday evening in his address to the nation.

After the meeting of the cabinet committee on public purchase at the secretariat in Dhaka on Thursday, reporters queried Muhith about the election-time government.

“Tomorrow. The election-time government may come tomorrow,” he said.

The reporters followed up with further questions on whether the cabinet will be reconstructed on Friday. In response, Muhith said: “I think it is happening.”

On whether the new members will be included in the cabinet, the minister said: “That’s not possible.”

When the reporters asked the minister again about the issue, he said, “It’s almost certain, because it is a coalition government. There is nobody who can be picked up. So I don’t think there will be any new addition.” 
 
Asked to comment on the exit of four technocrat ministers, Muhith said they will stay on until their resignations are accepted.
 
“They are still there. Their resignation letters will probably be accepted tomorrow, or perhaps tonight.”
 
Muhith said it was time for him to retire from politics.
 
“No, I will not contest the election. That's my decision. I’ll submit the nomination paper. It’s a kind of dummy nomination. It’s a routine affair.”
 
“I want to retire. I think I should.”