Twelve days after swearing in, the Sheikh Hasina-led Cabinet is set for its first meeting on Monday (Jan 21).
The Awami League has formed the government for the third straight time after it won a sweeping majority in the 11th National Election held on Dec 30 last year.
On Jan 7, Hasina took her oath as prime minister for a third consecutive term.
It’s the Awami League president’s fourth term in office, when she is leading a cabinet of 24 ministers, 19 ministers of state and three deputy ministers.
The meeting is scheduled for 10am at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka’s Tejgaon.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam will brief the media at the Secretariat after the meeting.
According to sources at the Cabinet Division, the first Cabinet meeting will discuss six issues, including the president’s speech on the maiden session of the 11th National Parliament on Jan 30.
During its first meeting, the council of ministers will discuss the drafts of three laws — the Representation of the People’s Order (Amendment), Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) Act (Amendment) and National Social Welfare Council Act.
The cabinet is also expected to give its initial nod to the Bangladesh Industrial and Technical Assistance Center Act as well as the draft for the National Work Plan for the Disabled.
After the astonishing landslide in the 11th national parliamentary polls, the prime minister has formed a cabinet of 47 members. Twenty-four of the ministers are new to the cabinet.
Hasina has brought back three members who had previously served her cabinet but not her second term. Two ministers of state have now been promoted to the position of ministers.
Of the 19 appointed as ministers of state, all but three are new. Three new faces are also entering the cabinet as deputy ministers.
Hasina’s new administration has dropped 34 members of the previous cabinet.