Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has unveiled a 46-strong cabinet for her straight third term dropping 34 members from her previous administration.
The new Cabinet, which will be sworn in on Monday (Jan 7), features 27 members who have made to the council of the ministers for the first time.
Elected from Cumilla-9, Md Tajul Islam has been given the politically significant ministry local government, rural development and cooperative (LGRD). He has served as the chief of parliamentary panel of power, energy and mineral resources in the 10th parliament.
AK Abdul Momen has been given the portfolio of foreign affair. Momen, the brother of outgoing administration’s Finance Minister AMA Muhith, has served as Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the UN. He has been elected an MP for the first time, from the Sylhet-1 seat.
Rangpur-4 MP Tipu Munshi has been made the commerce minister. A businessman, Munshi is a former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
The portfolio of industries went to Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun. The lawmaker of Narsingdi-4 was in the leadership of the Awami League’s youth affiliate, Juba League.
Narayanganj MP Golam Dastagir Gazi has been made the textile and jute minister. The gallantry award-winner freedom fighter is the owner of business conglomerate Gazi Group.
Sadhan Chandra Majumder, who has been elected on the Awami League’s ticket from Naogaon-1 several times, will be the new food minister.
SM Rezaul Karim is set to become the housing and public works minister. The MP from Pirojpur-1 serves as the Legal Affairs Secretary of the Awami League.
Elected from Moulvibazar-1, Md Shahab Uddin will be in charge of environment, forest and climate change ministry while the rail ministry is being handed to Nurul Islam Sujon, the lawmaker of Panchagarh-2.
Fifteen among the 19 state ministers have made to the Cabinet for the first time. They are- Kamal Ahmed Majumder in industries ministry, Imran Ahmad in expatriates' welfare and overseas employment, Zahid Ahsan Rasel in youth and sports, Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru in fisheries and livestock ministry, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury in shipping, Zakir Hossain in primary and mass education, Farhad Hossain in public administration, Swapon Bhattacharya in local government, rural development and co-operatives, Zahid Faruk in water resources, Murad Hasan in health and family welfare, Sharif Ahmed in social welfare, K M Khalid in cultural affairs, Enamur Rahman in disaster management and relief, Mahbub Ali in civil aviation and tourism and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in religious affairs.
All three deputy ministers are newcomers in the cabinet. They are- Begum Habibun Nahar in environment, forest and climate change, AKM Enamul Hoque Samim in water resources and Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel in education.
