New cabinet members likely to take oath today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to strengthen her cabinet today with the addition of at least seven new members.

The oath-taking ceremony is expected to take place at 7:30pm at the Bangabhaban, said sources in the government and ruling Awami League.

Majority of the new appointments would be state ministers and deputy ministers while one or two could be made full ministers this time.

Four to five lawmakers from the reserved seats for women may join the cabinet, they said.

A couple may find place in the cabinet as technocrat ministers.

Sources within the AL said none of the new cabinet members have previously served as ministers.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath taking of the new cabinet members. Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain will conduct the oath-taking ceremony.

The Bangabhaban has prepared to host the ceremony with approximately 150-200 guests.

No ministers, state ministers, or deputy ministers have been appointed to the labour and employment, and cultural affairs ministries. In past AL governments, two ministers usually oversaw these ministries.

Besides, there are no ministers in the ministries of commerce, information and broadcasting, and posts, telecommunications and information technology. These ministries only have state ministers.

The absence of the commerce minister, a position held by Tipu Munshi in the last cabinet, raises the possibility of a senior figure being appointed to the role.

On the other hand, the post of state ministers remains vacant at the ministries of law, home, education, planning, land, local government, rural development and co-operatives, and foreign affairs.

The current cabinet does not have any state minister to a ministry where there is a minister and any minister to a ministry where there is a state minister.

Following the AL’s landslide victory in the January 7 election, Hasina formed her fourth consecutive government on January 11. In the 37-member cabinet, there are 26 ministers and 11 state ministers.