Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that she is having second thoughts on reducing the size of Cabinet before the national election, unlike ahead of the 2014 polls.
“Before the last election, we wanted to form a polls-time government with representatives from all parties, but the then-opposition BNP did not respond to our call. We will consider that whether an election-time administration is needed at all,” she said on Monday.
Her remarks came while addressing a press conference at the PM's official residence, the Ganabhaban.
The media call was meant was meant to brief on the prime minister’s recent Saudi Arabia visit. Hasina also took questions on current events of Bangladesh.
Responding to a query by Amader Orthoneeti Editor Naimul Islam Khan, the prime minister said she has discussed the matter with the leader of the opposition.
“Will there be any problem if the government was not reduced?” she asked.
Khan said that there were no Constitutional barriers to keeping the government unchanged.
Despite the Awami League’s two-thirds majority in the House, the Cabinet constitutes representatives from all parties, said Hasina.
“And we have been running the administration with that Cabinet and this was not the previous case. I have spoken to the leader of the opposition and told her that we are ready (for a polls-time administration) as the way they want it,” she added.
The prime minister said a smaller election-time Cabinet could hinder development. “The ministers will have to handle multiple portfolios and it could stall development projects for two to three months.”
Referring to parliamentary democracy in countries like the UK, Australia and New Zealand, she said, “Cabinets in those countries do not undergo changes before the election ... I have discussed the issue (with leaders on different occasions), they said it’s not necessary at all. Let’s see what happens. If the opposition wants it, we will do it. If they don’t we won’t have to.”