Sheikh Bashir gets commerce, filmmaker Farooki cultural affairs as Yunus shakes up cabinet

This is the second expansion of the interim cabinet’s size

Three more members were added to Muhammad Yunus's advisory council three months after the formation of the interim government. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administers the oath to the new advisors at the Bangabhaban’s Darbar Hall on Sunday, Nov 10, 2024. Photo: PID

Along with the portfolio allocation among the newly-appointed advisors, there has been a major reshuffle in the responsibilities of the old ones after an increase in the size of the interim government’s advisory council.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus also lightened his workload by redistributing portfolios but kept the key portfolios of Cabinet Division, Armed Forces Division, Ministry of Defence, and Ministry of Public Administration to himself.

After the swearing-in of the three new advisors on Sunday evening, Akij Group Managing Director Sheikh Bashir Uddin has been assigned to the Ministry of Commerce, alongside the Ministry of Jute and Textiles.

Another advisor, film director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, has been given the charge of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

However, newly-appointed advisor Md Mahfuz Alam will have to wait for any portfolio, according to the gazette issued by the Cabinet Division.

On the other hand, Ali Imam Majumdar, who was attached to the office of the chief advisor, has been given the charge of the Ministry of Food, previously overseen by the chief advisor himself.

A number of changes have also been made to the portfolios of the old ones.

As part of the reshuffle, Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain will be heading the Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives.

Along with the shipping ministry, M Sakhawat Hossain will now look after the Ministry of Labour and Employment, which was previously overseen by Mahfuj, the coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.

Among other advisors, Salehuddin Ahmed has been kept only in Finance and removed from Commerce.

The load of Law Advisor Asif Nazrul slightly eased after the transfer of the cultural affairs’ charge to Farooki. The law advisor will also head the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment.

One of the two ministries previously assigned to AF Hasan Ariff has been changed. He used to run the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Land. He will now head the Ministry of Land and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.