Bangladesh Minister of Information Hasan Mahmud has received the charge of the Foreign Ministry. File
| Photo Credit: WikiCommons
The Government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced Cabinet posts for Ministers on Thursday.
The biggest names to have made it to the list are Asaduzzaman Khan, and Obaidul Quader, two heavyweights who have retained their respective Ministries – home and road transport.
A major upward shift has come for the former Minister of Information Hasan Mahmud, who has received the charge of the Foreign Ministry.
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Significantly, Ms. Hasina has removed A.K. Abdul Momen and Shahriar Alam, Foreign Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister in her previous term, indicating that some of the challenges on diplomatic front that Ms. Hasina had to face in the recent past were not handled to her satisfaction.
Both Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan are among the heavyweights in the ruling Awami League that returned to power for a historic consecutive fourth term after securing a major victory in the January 7 election.
Mr. Quader as party secretary of Awami League is known to have strong organisational network within the ruling party and is popular among the party cadre at various levels. Mr. Khan, who will head the Home Ministry for the third time was noted for his careful handling of difficult issues like the violence against the religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh as well as India’s concerns about illegal immigration from Bangladesh to India.
The biggest surprise has come for Mohammed Hasan Mahmud who has been given the charge of the Foreign Ministry. Mr. Mahmud served as the Deputy Foreign Minister during Ms, Hasina’s second term during 2009-’14 and is known both for his international network as well as ground support.
Former Foreign Minister Adul Hasan Mahmud Ali who led Dhaka’s diplomacy during the signing of the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement in 2015 has been appointed as the new Finance Minister.
The biggest upset has come for A.K. Abdul Momen and Shahriar Alam who had become known faces in New Delhi as they visited India regularly to participate in diplomatic dialogue. Mr Alam had been noted for his forceful articulation of Dhaka’s position at the annual Raisina Dialogue held here.
However, the growing problems between PM Hasina and the western capitals, especially the United States had soured the foreign affairs record of the prime minister in the previous few years and it is understood that this setback is the reason behind their removal.
Long-time, associate of Ms Hasina, Dipu Moni, has made it to the post of the minister of social welfare. She served as the education minister in the previous term and is widely known for her erudition and progressive views. But the post of minister of social welfare is being interpreted as a climbdown as the ministry is not considered to be particularly powerful.
The announcement for the cabinet ranks has given important ministries to members of the religious and ethnic minority communities of Bangladesh. Sadhan Chandra Majumdar will be the new food minister. Samanta Lal Sen will be the new health and family welfare and Narayan Chandra Chanda will be the minister of land affairs. Both the food and land ministries are considered to be powerful. Kujendra Lal Tripura has become the minister in charge of Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Through an evening announcement, the Prime Minister’s office in Dhaka removed the adviser on security affairs Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique and investment adviser Salman F. Rahman. But they were re-inducted soon thereafter.
An important inclusion is of young leader Mohammed Ali Arafat who has become deputy minister. There was speculation earlier that Mr. Arafat could become the deputy foreign minister. However no one has been recruited in that post this time.