Another change in cabinet likely
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to again reorganise her cabinet shortly after her return from Myanmar, party sources said.
Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, herself gestured last week that she was thinking of incorporating some more proven leaders in her ruling alliance to the cabinet.
She expanded the cabinet and changed the portfolio of some ministries on Tuesday to recognise her time-tested party leaders and to infuse more dynamism in the government's functioning, said party sources.
To accommodate the new cabinet members, the government is likely to split the ministries of post and telecommunications, information and cultural affairs, and food and disaster management, secretariat sources said.
They pointed out that the PM delayed in accommodating senior leaders like Suranjit Sengupta and Obaidul Quader, who were currently appointed the railways minister and communications minister respectively, in the cabinet due to frequent speculations in the media.
She felt the need to accommodate the left out senior leaders with proven record because these leaders were getting frustrated and becoming critical of the government's performance, emphasising that they could have done a better job.
Regarding appointment of the new ministers, Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday said, “More or less all the members of the cabinet are doing a good job. But induction of these two leaders would surely bring more dynamism in the cabinet.”
“The PM has recognised them and it is now their turn to deliver,” she told The Daily Star at her Secretariat office.
Meanwhile, sources added that Jatiya Party (JP) leader GM Quader, who was the civil aviation minister, has been made the commerce minister to accommodate the request of his brother HM Ershad, also JP chief.
Cabinet sources said former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain was not happy with his new portfolio of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). He is now lobbying for important portfolio.
This has triggered a new speculation that the government might split the post and telecommunications ministry and incorporate the telecoms with the ICT.
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