Dhaka, July 31 (bdnews24.com)–Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday inducted a minister and five state ministers into the cabinet and made some crucial changes to the home, power, foreign and shipping ministries.
The shake-up came a day after her ruling Awami League sprang surprises by dropping party heavyweights from the policymaking presidium and sacked all seven organising secretaries of the previous committee.
Hasina, who watched the ceremony at the Bangabhaban, told reporters that the expansion and shuffle were designed to help implement the new budget.
President Zillur Rahman administered their oath to office in the second cabinet expansion since the Awami League-led Grand Alliance government assumed office on Jan 6 after sweeping the Dec 29 general elections.
The 43-strong cabinet now has 25 ministers and 18 state ministers after the resignation of state minister for home Tanjim Ahmed.
GM Quader of Jatiya Party, Dilip Barua of Samyobadi Dal and law minister Shafique Ahmed, a technocrat minister, are the exceptions in a cabinet dominated by ruling Awami League MPs.
On Jan 24, Hasina appointed six new state ministers to the original 32-strong cabinet that had 24 ministers.
State minister Hasan Mahmud was removed from the foreign ministry. Mahmud, the ruling Awami League's forest and environment secretary, fills the space left by Mustafizur Rahman Fizar, who will be the junior to land minister Rezaul Karim Hira.
Retired brig gen and Chanpainawabganj-1 MP Enamul Huq is the new state minister for energy and power, replacing Shamsul Huq Tuku, who has been moved to home as state minister.
The home ministry, headed by Sahara Khatun, has been without junior minister after Tanjim Ahmed called it quits over apparent discord with his senior.
Shahjahan Khan, Madaripur-2 MP and a popular trade union leader of JSD origin, is the only full minister, in charge of shipping and inland water transport, among the new entrants to the council of ministers. Khan also chaired the labour and manpower ministry parliamentary committee.
His predecessor, Afsarul Amin, will take over at the primary and mass education division.
Elected MP from Patuakhali-4, Md Mahbubur Rahman will be at the water resources ministry as the state minister.
Retired captain and army doctor Mujibur Rahman Fakir, the Mymensingh-3 MP, will be the state minister for health to assist cabinet minister A F M Ruhul Huq.
Promod Mankin, an MP from Mymensingh-1 in 1996, 2001 and 2006 elections, is set for the culture ministry.
Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, an MP from reserved women's seats, is the state minister for children and women.
The newly sworn-in ministers said they will put in their time and effort to implement the Awami League's campaign pledges.
They paid floral tributes to to independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi in the capital
The ministers laid flowers on Friday at National Memorial in Savar on the outskirts of the capital and observed a one-minute silence.
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