The first meeting of the new cabinet on Thursday approved a draft of the speech to be delivered by President Abdul Hamid at the first session of the 10th Parliament starting on January 29, said Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan at a press briefing shortly after the meeting.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting attended by all ministers, state ministers, her advisers, and secretaries. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed did not attend the meeting as he had left for Delhi on a two-day official visit.
According to cabinet secretary, the president would talk about Vision- 2021, Digital Bangladesh, Social safety net, Employment, Foreign relation and future plans during the first session of the new parliament.
Earlier on Sunday, the Awami League formed a 49-member cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and inducting “opposition” Jatiya party representatives into the government by removing the majority of ministers from the previous cabinet for “incompetence” and “controversy".
Half of the new cabinet is comprised of first-time ministers.
11 ministers and two state ministers from the last cabinet - which numbered over 50 - have been included while 24 members are new ministers.
President Abdul Hamid administered oaths to the 29 ministers, 17 state ministers and two deputy ministers at Bangabhaban, in the presence of a huge number of guests including ambassadors of the different resident missions in Bangladesh.
Out of the 300 seats, 153 MPs were elected unopposed while official figures showed less than 40% of people cast their votes in the 10th parliamentary polls boycotted by the BNP-led 18-party alliance.
