Four new members are joining Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s cabinet on Friday, with three taking oath as ministers and one as a state minister.
The new ministers are BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partha, and Bandarban MP Sa Ching Prue Jerry. Gaibandha-4 MP Mohammad Shamim Kaisar Lincoln is set to take oath as a state minister.
The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for the same day as the swearing-in of newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Mirza Fakhrul will take oath as the country’s 23rd president at 7:30pm at Bangabhaban’s Durbar Hall.
The new ministers and state minister are expected to take oath immediately after the president’s swearing-in ceremony.
The Cabinet Division has contacted several of the prospective cabinet members and asked them to remain present at Bangabhaban.
One of the incoming ministers, speaking to Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity, said: “I received a phone call. A car will also be sent to my residence shortly. I will take oath as a minister this evening.”
Mohammad Shamim Kaisar Lincoln said: “Please pray for me. I am going to take oath as a state minister.”
Who are the new cabinet members?
Abdul Moyeen Khan is a BNP Standing Committee member and MP for Narsingdi-2. He was elected from the constituency as a BNP candidate in the 13th parliamentary election.
He is expected to be given charge of the Ministry of Food.
Andaleeve Rahman Partho is chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP). His party contested the election in an alliance with the BNP.
He is the MP for Bhola-1 and is expected to be assigned either the Ministry of Railways or the Ministry of Shipping.
Sa Ching Prue Jerry is the MP for Bandarban and convener of the BNP’s Bandarban district unit.
He was elected as a BNP candidate and is expected to take charge of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs.
Mohammad Shamim Kaisar Lincoln, the MP for Gaibandha-4 (Gobindaganj), is set to become a state minister.
He will serve as the state minister for religious affairs.
When Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formed the government in February, the cabinet had 50 members, including the prime minister. Of them, 25 were ministers and 24 were state ministers.
The prime minister also has 10 advisers, five of whom hold ministerial rank and five state ministerial rank. However, they are not members of the cabinet.
Following Friday’s oath-taking ceremony, the cabinet will have 54 members, including the prime minister — 28 ministers and 25 state ministers.