LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam was relieved of his duties and made a minister without portfolio yesterday, after three days of rumours over his position in the council of ministers.
The Cabinet Division made the disclosure in a gazette notification yesterday afternoon.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain has been given the LGRD Ministry as an additional charge.
Also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, Syed Ashraf had been serving as the LGRD minister since the party came to power in 2009. The same year he was made the party’s general secretary. He retained his position after the party returned to power last year.
When contacted repeatedly, Syed Ashraf did not respond to calls and SMSs.
Sources said that he went to the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday afternoon to meet party chief Sheikh Hasina. Ashraf stayed there for around an hour. The gazette was published nearly two hours after he had left the PMO.
It could not be confirmed whether Syed Ashraf, son of national leader Syed Nazrul Islam, wanted to resign or he was removed by the premier over his absence from Tuesday’s Ecnec meeting.
In the afternoon, he joined an iftar party hosted by the Jubo League, youth wing of the ruling Awami League, at its city office on Bangabandhu Avenue.
While addressing the function as chief guest, Ashraf spoke about politics but refrained from making any comment on his meeting with the prime minister.
He also evaded reporters after the function, when they inquired about the government decision.
After getting the additional responsibility, Khandker Mosharraf told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday evening: “I am now in Faridpur. I will return to Dhaka on Saturday and join my office at the new ministry Sunday morning.”
He would brief reporters on Sunday.
In response to another question, the minister said: “I have no information about more changes in the cabinet.”
At the Ecnec meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly ordered removal of Syed Ashraf. Finance Minister AMA Muhith raised the issue of Ashraf’s absence and expressed frustration since it hindered the allocation process for the LGRD Ministry, an official present at the meeting said.
Hasina then proposed Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed’s name for the charge of the LGRD Ministry but the veteran Awami League leader would not accept it. Instead, he proposed Khandker Mosharraf’s name.
“The prime minister said that it will be better to remove him [Ashraf] since he does not attend meetings,” the official, who requested not to be named, said. Asked for comments, Syed Ashraf the following day had asked the media not to pay heed to rumours.
The allegation of his absence from party and cabinet meetings is nothing new. Party’s senior leaders raised the issue on several occasions.
Meanwhile, another rumour suggests that the cabinet would be reformed soon. Sources say there will be major changes – more than four lawmakers could take oath as ministers and state ministers. However, the senior Awami League leaders and cabinet members are tight-lipped on the matter.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said he had no idea about such decision. “If there is any shuffle or induction, the authorities concerned will inform you [media] and the people immediately,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Awami League’s Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said the premier knows better than anyone about the betterment of the government activities. “She [Hasina] observes everything. She may have felt it necessary to relieve him [Syed Ashraf] of the duties.”