A gazette notification on portfolio distribution within the reconstituted ‘all-party’ cabinet has been published, leaving out 30 former ministers including Dipu Moni, MK Alamgir and Suranjit Sengupta. The opposition has termed it a cabinet reshuffle. Shafique Ahmed and Dilip Barua, both technocrat ministers holding the law and industry portfolios respectively, have been made advisers to the Prime Minister.Home Minister MK Alamgir, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Minister without Portfolio Suranjit Sengupta were left out of the cabinet.
Labour Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Posts and Telecommunication Minister Sahara Khatun, Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira, Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Hoque Mustafa, Civil Aviation Minister Faruk Khan, Food Minister Abdur Razzaque, Primary and Mass Education Minister Afsarul Ameen, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas, and Information and Communication Technology Minister Mostafa Faruque Mohammed, have lost their berths.
A gazette issued by the Cabinet Division on Thursday said the President had accepted their resignation letters.
The government and the Opposition are yet to reach agreement over the specific structure of a polls-time dispensation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had proposed an ‘all-party’ polls-time cabinet in her last month’s address to the nation.
She had urged BNP to join the cabinet but the Opposition had rejected the call. The BNP pressed for a non-party government’s supervision in the polls.
Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia on Tuesday sought the President’s mediation in talks with the government to sort out differences.
On Monday, six ministers and two state ministers were inducted in the ‘all-party’ cabinet.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu on Wednesday said the interim government would become a ‘multi-party’ cabinet even if the BNP stayed away.
He had said the option to hold a dialogue was still open.
Newly inducted minister Amir Hossain Amu has got charge of land and disaster management and relief ministries. Tofail Ahmed has been given the Industry, and Housing and Public Works ministries.
Amu and Tofail are members of the ruling Awami League’s advisory council.
Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon got Posts and Telecommunications, Jatiya Party Presidium member Rawshan Ershad got Health and Family welfare, Ruhul Amin Hawladar got Civil Aviation and Tourism, while Anisul Islam Mahmud got Water Resources.
The two state ministers — Mujibul Haque Chunnu and Salma Islam, both from Gen Ershad’s Jatiya Party – have got Youth and Sports, and Women and Children Affairs ministries respectively.
