Awami League president Sheikh Hasina may induct some new faces into her next cabinet to be formed on January 7 to bring dynamism in running government.
Prime minister-elect Sheikh Hasina is going to constitute her new council of ministers as President Md Abdul Hamid has invited her to form government.
The ministries of finance, public administration, health, foreign affairs, food, disaster and relief affairs, law, religious affairs, jute and textile and land may have new faces in the cabinet.
The names of several MPs-elect have been in the air for their induction into the cabinet.
President Abdul Hamid will administer oath to the prime minister and her cabinet colleagues at 3:30pm on January 7 at Bangabhaban.
The last two terms of Sheikh Hasina-led government are considered one of the most successful ones since Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s cabinet.
International quarters highly acclaimed two consecutive terms of Sheikh Hasina-led government for boosting the country’s economic growth despite global recession.
The Awami League-led grand alliance secured a landslide victory over the BNP-dominated Jatiya Oikya Front in the December 30 parliamentary elections.
The polls were held in a peaceful and festive environment in 299 out of 300 constituencies as voting in Gaibandha-3 was suspended following the death of a candidate there.The grand alliance secured 288 seats while Oikya Front bagged only seven seats.
All the members of the incumbent cabinet, who contested the election, came out victorious by a huge margin.
The Awami League chief may ask some senior ministers to continue with their work as they still have something to give to the nation, party sources say.
“It is the authority of the party president to decide who will be inducted into the new cabinet,” Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said.
Insiders say some senior ministers, including public administration minister Syed Ashraful Islam, jute and textile minister Emaj Uddin Pramanik and Shamsur Rahman Sharif may be relived of their charges on health grounds while food minister Qamrul Islam, relief and disaster minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya may be axed due to their controversial activities.
Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain may remain with LGRD ministry but his deputy Mashiur Rahman Ranga from Jatiya Party may be promoted to full minister and given the charge of another ministry, party sources say.
In such case, a mid-tier Awami League leader may be given an opportunity to work as state minister in the LGRD ministry, the sources added.
Obaidul Quader will remain in the charge of his road transport and bridges ministry. But, a state minister may be appointed there.
There is no chance of change in industries, commerce and agricultural ministries but if the senior ministers do not want to continue discharging their responsibilities, changes will be made in those ministries.
Mosharraf Hossan may continue with his public works and housing ministry. But there has been a strong possibility of appointing a state minister there.
There is no possibility of changing Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from the home ministry, but a junior minister may be posted there.
Incumbent state minister Mirza Azam may be promoted to full minister.
The names of several lawmakers, including Salman F Rahman, AKM Rahmatullah and Akbar Hossan Pathan from Dhaka, Imran Ahmed from Sylhet, Nurul Islam Sujan from Panchagarh, Panchanan Biswas from Khulna, Omar Faruque Chowdhury and Fazle Hossain Badsha from Rajshahi, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza from Narail, Tipu Munshi from Rangpur, Habibe Millat from Sirajganj, Mahbubul Alam Hanif from Kushtia, Sheikh Helal from Bagerhat, Kazi Nabil Ahmed from Jessore, Zahid Ahsan Russell and Simeen Hossain Rimi from Gazipur, Nur Mohammad from Kishoreganj, Naimur Rahman Durjoy from Manikganj, SM Rezaul Karim from Pirojpur, Shamsuddin Ahmed from Mymensingh, Salima Ahmed from Cumilla, Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel from Chottagram and Kujendra Lal from the hill tracts are in the air who may be inducted into the cabinet.
If Fazle Hossain Badsha, also general secretary of Workers Party of Bangladesh, is inducted in the cabinet, Rashed Kahn Menon will be shown the door.
Former ministers including Abdur Razzaque from Tangail, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Faruk Khan from Gopalganj, Dipu Moni from Chandpur and Saber Hossain Chowdhury from Dhaka may be asked to take oath as minister.
Sources also say state minister for public administration Ismat Ara Sadek, state minister for ICT Zunaed Ahmed Palak amy also be axed.
Deputy minister for sports Arif Khan Joy, who was not given nomination to contest the national polls, will also be dropped due to his controversial activities while in office.
Rumour has been in the air that the Awami League President may bring change in the health ministry currently being run by Mohammd Nasim.
If so, Sheikh Selim, who discharged the responsibilities of the ministry between 1996 and 2001, may be given the chare or a noted physician may be asked to take charge of the ministry.
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid and shipping minister Shajahan Khan may also be dropped.
But, incumbent state minister Zahid Malek may remain in his position of the ministry.
Sheikh Hasina may induct a fresh blood in the ministry of law, justice and parliamentary affairs. In that case, incumbent minister Anisul Huq may be relived of the charge.
Sheikh Hasina may induct a new face in the ministry of foreign affairs too.
Jatiya party’s Mujibul Haque Chunnu may be inducted as state minister of another ministry.
