The cabinet may see as many as eight new faces soon, sources in the government say Dhaka TribuneSources said the former cabinet member Abul Hossain is in line for the post. He resigned as communications minister after he became mired in the corruption allegations levelled against the Padma Bridge project by the World Bank, and did not get the party’s nomination for the 2014 election.
A Canadian court has since dismissed the corruption case, however, leading Abul Hossain and his supporters to say he has been vindicated. A senior Awami League leader said: “Abul Hossain has been reprieved. He should become a new minister.”
In the party’s extended meetings, grassroots leaders have demanded that former ministers Abdur Razzak MP and Dipu Moni be picked as cabinet members. But Abdur Razzak has been rewarded as presidium member and Dipu as joint secretary in the last council.
Sources said Awami League is looking for an Islamic thinker as state minister for religious affairs who can organise the religious community ahead of the national polls. AL advisory council member Golam Mawla Nakshabandi is highly regarded for his efforts to organise the Olama League to strengthen the party, and is being considered for the position.
Moving in the other direction, sources said Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Haque, 75, and Textile and Jute Minister Emajuddin Pramanik, 76, both have health issues and could exit the cabinet.
“The prime minister will not relieve them, however, if they are interested to continue,” said a senior Awami League leader.
Religious Affairs Minister Matiur Rahman, 75, is another facing old age complications.
Meanwhile, Disaster and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Food Minister Qamrul Islam have both lost their standing in the party due to controversies.
Maya has been on back-foot since his son-in-law was convicted in the Narayanganj seven murders case, while Qamrul’s reputation has suffered over the import of rotten wheat from Brazil and amid allegations of his son’s racketeering. These two veteran leaders are likely to face repercussions.
PM Hasina’s hand could also be forced by the Jatiya Party of former military dictator HM Ershad, which has a share in the cabinet even though it officially forms the opposition in parliament.
JaPa has recently formed a 58-party alliance and has discussed withdrawing its ministers from the cabinet in order to contest the national polls. If the party withdraws, one minister and two state minister posts will be left vacant.
Senior JaPa leader Mujibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that Ershad was yet to give any directive to resign from the cabinet.
“The chairman said that the decision over the matter would come following a meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina which will be scheduled very soon,” said Mujibul, who is the state minister for labour and employment.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will reshuffle her cabinet soon and include some fresh faces to mobilise government performance ahead of the 2019 national elections, Awami League inside sources have said.
The reshuffle issue was discussed at recent cabinet meetings, as well as in the ruling party’s parliamentary board meetings and in extended meetings with grassroots party leaders. All meetings were presided over by Sheikh Hasina, in her capacity as Awami League president.
“I have heard that a reshuffle will be made soon (but) it depends on the prime minister when she will do this; it’s her right,” Awami League Presidium member Abdul Mannan Khan said.
The 51-member cabinet led by Sheikh Hasina has 31 ministers, 17 state ministers and two deputy ministers. The cabinet of the current government underwent its first major reshuffle on July 15, 2015.
“A reshuffle in the cabinet can happen anytime,” AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said after a cabinet meeting on May 8. “But who remains in the cabinet or who goes is solely the prime minister’s discretion.”
Confidential sources inside the ruling party said a new minister for the Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry could be appointed alongside the existing state ministers in order to build up more capacity in the ICT sector.
Abdul Latif Siddique held that position before being kicked out for his derogatory remarks about Hajj and Tabligh Jamaat.
Now Tarana Halim holds office as state minister for Post and Telecommunications Division and Zunaid Ahmed Palak is the state minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division.
The cabinet may see as many as eight new faces soon, sources in the government say Dhaka TribuneSources said the former cabinet member Abul Hossain is in line for the post. He resigned as communications minister after he became mired in the corruption allegations levelled against the Padma Bridge project by the World Bank, and did not get the party’s nomination for the 2014 election.
A Canadian court has since dismissed the corruption case, however, leading Abul Hossain and his supporters to say he has been vindicated. A senior Awami League leader said: “Abul Hossain has been reprieved. He should become a new minister.”
In the party’s extended meetings, grassroots leaders have demanded that former ministers Abdur Razzak MP and Dipu Moni be picked as cabinet members. But Abdur Razzak has been rewarded as presidium member and Dipu as joint secretary in the last council.
Sources said Awami League is looking for an Islamic thinker as state minister for religious affairs who can organise the religious community ahead of the national polls. AL advisory council member Golam Mawla Nakshabandi is highly regarded for his efforts to organise the Olama League to strengthen the party, and is being considered for the position.
Moving in the other direction, sources said Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Haque, 75, and Textile and Jute Minister Emajuddin Pramanik, 76, both have health issues and could exit the cabinet.
“The prime minister will not relieve them, however, if they are interested to continue,” said a senior Awami League leader.
Religious Affairs Minister Matiur Rahman, 75, is another facing old age complications.
Meanwhile, Disaster and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Food Minister Qamrul Islam have both lost their standing in the party due to controversies.
Maya has been on back-foot since his son-in-law was convicted in the Narayanganj seven murders case, while Qamrul’s reputation has suffered over the import of rotten wheat from Brazil and amid allegations of his son’s racketeering. These two veteran leaders are likely to face repercussions.
PM Hasina’s hand could also be forced by the Jatiya Party of former military dictator HM Ershad, which has a share in the cabinet even though it officially forms the opposition in parliament.
JaPa has recently formed a 58-party alliance and has discussed withdrawing its ministers from the cabinet in order to contest the national polls. If the party withdraws, one minister and two state minister posts will be left vacant.
Senior JaPa leader Mujibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that Ershad was yet to give any directive to resign from the cabinet.
“The chairman said that the decision over the matter would come following a meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina which will be scheduled very soon,” said Mujibul, who is the state minister for labour and employment.
The cabinet may see as many as eight new faces soon, sources in the government say Dhaka TribuneSources said the former cabinet member Abul Hossain is in line for the post. He resigned as communications minister after he became mired in the corruption allegations levelled against the Padma Bridge project by the World Bank, and did not get the party’s nomination for the 2014 election.
A Canadian court has since dismissed the corruption case, however, leading Abul Hossain and his supporters to say he has been vindicated. A senior Awami League leader said: “Abul Hossain has been reprieved. He should become a new minister.”
In the party’s extended meetings, grassroots leaders have demanded that former ministers Abdur Razzak MP and Dipu Moni be picked as cabinet members. But Abdur Razzak has been rewarded as presidium member and Dipu as joint secretary in the last council.
Sources said Awami League is looking for an Islamic thinker as state minister for religious affairs who can organise the religious community ahead of the national polls. AL advisory council member Golam Mawla Nakshabandi is highly regarded for his efforts to organise the Olama League to strengthen the party, and is being considered for the position.
Moving in the other direction, sources said Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Haque, 75, and Textile and Jute Minister Emajuddin Pramanik, 76, both have health issues and could exit the cabinet.
“The prime minister will not relieve them, however, if they are interested to continue,” said a senior Awami League leader.
Religious Affairs Minister Matiur Rahman, 75, is another facing old age complications.
Meanwhile, Disaster and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Food Minister Qamrul Islam have both lost their standing in the party due to controversies.
Maya has been on back-foot since his son-in-law was convicted in the Narayanganj seven murders case, while Qamrul’s reputation has suffered over the import of rotten wheat from Brazil and amid allegations of his son’s racketeering. These two veteran leaders are likely to face repercussions.
PM Hasina’s hand could also be forced by the Jatiya Party of former military dictator HM Ershad, which has a share in the cabinet even though it officially forms the opposition in parliament.
JaPa has recently formed a 58-party alliance and has discussed withdrawing its ministers from the cabinet in order to contest the national polls. If the party withdraws, one minister and two state minister posts will be left vacant.
Senior JaPa leader Mujibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that Ershad was yet to give any directive to resign from the cabinet.
“The chairman said that the decision over the matter would come following a meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina which will be scheduled very soon,” said Mujibul, who is the state minister for labour and employment.