Just a week into his removal from the LGRD Ministry, Syed Ashraful Islam was made Public Administration Minister yesterday.
A gazette notification was issued yesterday for the immediate effect of his appointment.
At present State Minister for the Public Administration Ministry Ismat Ara Sadek is looking after the ministry.
Ashraf was given the charge of the ministry a day after he cancelled his trip to London at Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina’s request on Tuesday night.
Ashraf could not be reached over phone for comments.
However, his Personal Secretary Tofajjal Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that they were yet to receive any letter from the Cabinet Division.
Syed Ashraful Islam, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League, was scheduled to leave for London on Thursday to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with his family.
However, he cancelled his London tour following Hasina’s request.
The premier held a one-on-one meeting with Ashraf for around two hours at her official residence Gono Bhaban on Wednesday evening.
Before the publication of gazette notification yesterday, Finance Minister AMA Muhith met Syed Ashraf at his residence.
Ashraf was made a minister without portfolio on July 9 after he was removed from the LGRD Ministry. He had been serving the ministry since the Awami League came to power in 2009.
After three days of rumours centring his removal, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain finally replaced him.
Syed Ashraful Islam, son of Bangladesh’s first acting president Syed Nazrul Islam in 1971, was appointed as LGRD minister twice in 2009 and 2014.