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DHAKA: Three new faces have been included in the Sheikh Hasina’s government and an old one elevated to the Cabinet rank in the fourth time reshuffle. They took the oath in the evening on Tuesday (January 02).
The fresh faces are- president of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) Mustafa Jabbar, AKM Shahjahan Kamal, MP of Laxmipur-3 constituency, and Kazi Keramat Ali, MP of Rajbari-1 constituency, and
Among them, Mustafa Jabbar and Shahjahan Kamal took oath as ministers, while Keramat Ali took oath as state minister.
On the other hand, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayon Chandra Chanda took oath as the full minister. He has been promoted to full Cabinet rank, and retained his old portfolio.
Meanwhile, Mustafa Jabbar may be made ICT minister, while AKM Shahjahan Kamal may be given the charge of social welfare ministry and Kazi Keramat Ali state minister for home.
President Abdul Hamid administered the oath-taking ceremony at 6:30 pm at the Darbar Hall of the Bangabhaban. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam conducted the swearing-in.
Prime Minister Shekh Hasina and ministers of her Cabinet attended the ceremony.
Narayon Chandra Chanda took oath as minister, because the fisheries and livestock portfolio fell vacant following the death of Muhammed Sayedul Hoque on December 16.
Narayon Chandra, 72, has been elected MP from Khulna-5 constituency thrice. He became state minister for the first time in 2014.
Mustafa Jabbar, 68, has been made technocrat minister as he is not elected to the Parliament.
Although he is not any post holder of the Awami League, he is a close ally of the ruling party. He worked for AL’s manifesto ‘Digital Bangladesh’ before the 2008 general polls. Sheikh Hasina has chosen him as a reward for his contribution to the ICT sector.
Mustafa Jabbar was born on August 12 in 1949 at Ashuganj of Brahmanbaria. But his ancestral home is at Krishnapur village under Khaliajuri upazila in Netrokona.
He began his career as a journalist in 1972. He worked at Ganakantha until it is shut down in 1975. He was elected Organizing Secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ). Later, be became businessman and entrepreneur. He is best known for being the creator of software Bijoy. He introduced the Bijoy Keyboard, the first Bengali keyboard in 1988.
The newly made technocrat minister completed his BA degree from Department of Bengali at the Dhaka University in 1972 and MA in 1974.
AKM Shahjahan Kamal became MP twice in 1973 and 2014. He has been full minister. He is a Awami League leader.
Born at Laharkandi in Lakshmipur district town, Shahjahan Kamal is one of the directors of Janata Bank Limited. He had served District Director of Lakshmipur district council.
Kazi Keramat Ali is a four-time MP and the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on government assurances. He has been made state minister.
The Awami League government began its journey for second term by forming the Cabinet of 49 members on January 12 in 2014 following the January-5 polls. Among them, 29 were ministers, 17 state ministers and two were deputy ministers.
After one and half months into the formation of the new government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina brought first changes in the Cabinet on February 26 in 2014.
On that day, AH Mahmud Ali, an MP from Dinajpur-4 constituency, took oath as foreign minister while MP of Narsingdi-1 Col (rtd) Mohammad Nazrul Islam took oath as state minister for water resources.
On October 12 in 2014, Abdul Latif Siddique was sacked from the Cabinet for his controversial comments on the Hajj and Prophet Muhammad (SM) at a program in New York.
On July 9 in 2015, Sheikh Hasina removed the-then Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam from the LGRD ministry and made him minister without portfolio. Expatriates welfare and overseas minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain was given additional charge of the LGRD ministry
Later on July 16, Syed Ashraf was appointed as Public Administration Minister.
On July 14 in 2015, Sheikh Hasina brought major changes in the Cabinet, promoting Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to home minister, while Yeafesh Osman was promoted to science and technology minister.
On the same day, Chittagong Awami League leader Nurul Islam BSc took oath as technocrat minister, while actress Tarana Halim, MP of reserved seat for women, and Nuruzzaman Ahmed took oath as state minister. Nurul Islam BSc was taken the charge of the ministry of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment, while Tarana Halim became state minister for post and telecommunication and Md Nuruzzaman became state minister for food.
Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali died on September 14 in 2015. State minister for Social Welfare Promod Mankin died on May 11 in 2016.
On June 19 in 2016, the government moved State Minister Nuruzzaman from the food ministry to social welfare ministry.
Meanwhile, there are six advisers and one special envoy to the PM with the status of minister. Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad is the special envoy.
BDST: 1838 HRS, JAN 02, 2018
EHJ/SMS