After Awami League (AL) came to power in 2009, party chief Sheikh Hasina indicated separating party from government. Over the last ten years, distinct separation has not happened though there are indications that in some cases, both institutions were separated.
Leading leaders of AL say that many who have found posts in cabinet may be released from party posts.
On the other hand, people who did not get party posts may get place in cabinet.
The presidium members of the party were told at the Mar 27 meeting to prepare for a summit next October.
After winning the election, AL formed a government for the third time on Jan 7; it’s found that fewer people who are in the party’s central committee were given places in cabinet. On the other hand, many important leaders who are in the central committee did not find a place in the cabinet.
The current cabinet has 47 members while the central committee has 81 members. There are only ten members of cabinet who also have posts in the central committee.
AL presidium member and agriculture minister, Dr. Abdur Razzak, told Bangla Tribune, “Party and state are two separate entities and keeping them apart will yield better result.”
Saying that once Bangabandhu left a minister’s portfolio and took over as party general secretary, he added, “There are efforts now to keep the two distinct.”
Another member of the AL presidium, Kazi Zafrullah, said, “Based on the party’s need, people have been given posts both in cabinet and in the central committee.”
This is an ongoing process and will carry on the future, he commented.
In the 2014-2018 tenure of the AL government, those who lost central committee membership include: Asaduzzaman Nur, AHM Mustafa Kamal, Yafes Osman, Nasrul Hamid, MA Mannan and others.
On the other hand, those who were left out from cabinet include: Amir Hossain Amu, Matia Chowdhury, Mohammad Nasim, Nurul Islam Nahid, Mofazzal Hossain Maya, advocate Qamrul Islam and others.
Habibur Rahman Siraj, AL’s labour and manpower secretary, says, “I have been involved in AL politics since 1960s and have been playing the role of manpower secretary for 18 years.”
The party feels that I should be in this post, he asserted.
The current parliament has only one minister who is also a senior presidium member – Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdur Razzaq.
The other ministers who hold top party posts are: Joint General Secretary Dr. Dipu Moni who is education minister, Organisational Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury who is state minister for shipping, AKM Enamul Huq is deputy minister for water resources, deputy minister for education Mohihul Hassan, AL Treasurer Tipu Munshi is commerce minister, Publicity Secretary Hasan Mahmud is information minister, law secretary SM Rezaul Karim is public works minister while Religion Affairs Secretary Sheikh Md Abdullah is the state minister for the same portfolio.