At least 11 new ministers will be inducted into the “all-party” cabinet today to oversee the next general elections.
The cabinet division has already prepared a list of the new ministers upon instructions from the prime minister.
At least four parties out of the eight having representation in the parliament will see their members in the new cabinet, official sources confirmed. HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party confirmed seven of their members would join the polls-time cabinet.
However, it remained unclear as of filing this report last night who would head the interim cabinet, whether Sheikh Hasina would remain PM or step down as demanded by the opposition BNP.
The swearing-in ceremony of the ministers will be held at Bangabhaban at 3pm today, Monjur Hossain, secretary of the president’s office confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday evening.
President Abdul Hamid will administer the oath, he added.
Meanwhile, BNP announced to hold black flag processions on Monday protesting “the formation of the polls-time cabinet without holding any dialogue with the opposition in parliament”. It also termed the move “illegal and a farce.”
The time for the ceremony was set during a meeting between President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the latter called on the president at Bangabhaban on Sunday evening.
Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters that the prime minister had briefed the president about the size and functions of the interim cabinet.
She also shared with him the names of those to be included in the interim cabinet. However, Bhuiyan said: “I do not have the authority to disclose the names right now”.
The president welcomed her idea and wished a success of the interim cabinet, he said.
When asked, if the president accepted the “resignations” submitted by the members of the present cabinet, he said the “letters of resignation” were with the prime minister.
The prime minister was scrutinising the resignation letters, he added.
The ministers of the outgoing cabinet submitted letters to the prime minister on November 11 expressing their “intent to resign.”
Amid rumours who would get a place in the interim cabinet, the Dhaka Tribune could confirm few names talking to individuals and cabinet division officials.
Awami League Advisory Council Members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, Jatiya Party’s Presidium Member Rawshan Ershad, Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Hawladar and Presidium Member Anisul Islam Mahmud, GM Quader, Ziauddin Bablu and Salma Islam and President of Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon and JSD’s Mainuddin Khan Badal is expected take the oath as ministers today.
Anisul Islam Mahmud told the Dhaka Tribune last night that seven from their party were invited to take oath as ministers. After a meeting at Ershad’s residence at Baridhara, Mahmud said their party has decided to join the interim cabinet.
Mojibul Haque Chunnu, a Jatiya Party lawmaker told the Dhaka Tribune that he had received a phone call from the government to take the oath.
He also confirmed that Rawshan Ershad, Ruhul Amin Hawladar, Anisul Islam Mahmud, GM Quader, Ziauddin Bablu and Salma Islam were invited to the oath-taking ceremony.
Rashed Khan Menon’s personal staff Zakir Hossain said Menon had received phone call from the cabinet division to take oath as minister for the polls-time government.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President and Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu too confirmed that he along with his party colleague Mainuddin Khan Badal received phone calls from the cabinet division.
