Obaidul Quader, who has been made the road transport and bridges minister for a second consecutive term, has said that implementing Awami League’s election manifesto will be the main challenge for the new 47-member cabinet.
Talking to reporters after the oath taking ceremony of the new cabinet members at Bangabhaban in Dhaka on Monday, he said: "We will work at various stages to implement our election manifesto."
Quader, also the ruling party’s general secretary, said he could have understood through discussions with Awami League President Sheikh Hasina that the new cabinet would have big surprises, reports UNB.
"But, I think, nobody is going to lose anything. Nobody is dropped, but there are changes in responsibilities," he added.
He said many ministers of the last cabinet were not included in the new one in the interest of the party. "We would like to make our party smarter and stronger further under their leadership."
This is the first cabinet with all members from the Awami League since 1973.Sheikh Hasina has also become the prime minister for a record fourth time.
"We do not want our party to end up in government. To maintain the separate entities of both the government and the party, responsible leaders must take the responsibility of the party.
“Some of our leaders will now discharge government responsibility while others that of the party. It is a matter of change in their responsibilities," Quader said.
He said those who become cabinet members cannot properly discharge their due responsibilities of the party. "We must streamline the party and make it stronger to face the challenges of implementing our election manifesto."
Quader, who was elected MP from the Noakhali 5 constituency in the 11th general election, renewed his call to the opposition platform Jatiya OikyaFront to show respect to the people's verdict by sending their elected lawmakers to parliament.
Replying to a question, he said though no MP of their party-led Grand Alliance partners was inducted in the cabinet, the 14-party Alliance members were united and working together with the Awami League.
"It cannot be said that our alliance has split because their representatives are not in the cabinet,” he stressed.
During its five-year tenure, the Awami League general secretary said the new cabinet would witness expansions and reshuffles. "Some leaders may lose their cabinet portfolios halfway through based on their performances and some leaders may be included afresh the same way."
He also said that the cabinet members who will fail to perform well would lose their positions after evaluation.
Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina took oath as the country’s prime minister for the third consecutive term on Monday afternoon, along with 46 members of her new cabinet, following her party's massive victory in the general polls.
