Zahir Uddin Swapon has resigned as Information and Broadcasting Minister and been appointed as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s political adviser.
The Cabinet Division issued two separate gazette notifications on Saturday regarding his resignation and appointment.
A notification signed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani said the president had accepted Swapon’s resignation as Information and Broadcasting Minister, effective immediately.
In a separate notification, the Cabinet Division said Swapon had been appointed as the prime minister’s political adviser under Rules 3B(1) and 3B(2) of the Rules of Business, 1996.
The notification said he would enjoy the status, salary, allowances and other benefits of a minister during his tenure as adviser.
Earlier, as part of the first reshuffle of the BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho was given charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in place of Swapon.
Partho, a BNP ally and lawmaker from Bhola-1, was sworn in as a full minister at Bangabhaban on Friday evening and subsequently assigned the ministry.
As part of the first cabinet reshuffle, the Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification around midnight on Friday reallocating and redistributing ministerial portfolios.
Rashiduzzaman Millat, who was promoted from state minister to full minister, was given charge of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry. Afroz Khanam Rita, who had been serving as the minister of the same ministry, was assigned the Food Ministry.
The portfolios of two other full ministers and two state ministers who took the oath on Friday were also allocated.
BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moin Khan was given charge of the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry, which fell vacant after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was elected president.
Bandarban MP Sa Ching Prue Jerry was assigned the Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry. Humayun Kabir, who was sworn in as a state minister as a technocrat, was given charge of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, while Gaibandha-4 MP Mohammad Shamim Kaisar Lincoln was assigned the Religious Affairs Ministry as state minister.
New President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir administered the oath to four full ministers and two state ministers at Bangabhaban on Friday evening. The allocation of portfolios began shortly after their swearing-in as part of the first major cabinet reshuffle.
