PBA DESK : Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League President and
elder daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
today formed the government for the third consecutive term as she took oath
as the prime minister for fourth term with 47-member council of ministers.
The new council of ministers — including 24 ministers, 19 state ministers
and three deputy ministers — took oath today at a state ceremony at
Bangabhaban Darbar Hall.
President M Abdul Hamid administered the oath of office and oath of secrecy
to Sheikh Hasina and her new cabinet members. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad
Shafiul Alam conducted the programme.
After the swearing-in was over, Sheikh Hasina signed the oath of office and
oath of secrecy.
The Awami League-led Grand Alliance achieved landslide victory in the 11th
Jatiya Sangsad election on December 30, 2018.
Over 20 new faces have been inducted into the council of ministers.
The 24 ministers are: Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque,
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Agriculture Minister Dr
Md Abdur Razzak, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Information Minister
Dr Hasan Mahmud, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul
Haque, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md
Tajul Islam, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Foreign Affairs Minister AK
Abdul Momen, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Industries Minister Nurul Majid
Mahmud Humayun, Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, Health and
Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder,
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed,
Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, CHT Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur
Ushwe Sing, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Railways Minister Md Nurul
Islam Sujon, Science and Technology Affairs Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman
and Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Mostafa
Jabbar.
The 19 state ministers are: Kamal Ahmed Majumder for Industries, Imran
Ahmed for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, Zahid Ahsan Russell for
Youth and Sports, Nasrul Hamid for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Md
Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru for Fisheries and Livestock, Begum Munnujan Sufian for
Labour and Employment, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury for Shipping, Md Zakir Hossain
for Primary and Mass Education, Md Shahriar Alam for Foreign Affairs, Junaid
Ahmed Palak for ICT Division, Farhad Hossain for Public Administration,
Swapan Bhattacharya for LGRD and Cooperatives, Zahid Faruque for Water
Resources, Md Murad Hasan for Health and Family Welfare, Sharif Ahmed for
Social Welfare, KM Khalid for Cultural Affairs, Dr Md Enamur Rahman for
Disaster Management and Relief, Md Mahbub Ali for Civil Aviation and Tourism
and Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah for Religious Affairs.
Three deputy ministers are: Begum Habibun Nahar for Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim for Water Resources and Mohibul Hasan
Chowdhury for Education.
Guests present at the jam-packed glittering Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban
included PM’s family members including younger sister Sheikh Rehana, former
President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Chief Justice, Chief Election
Commissioner, Judges of the Supreme Court, members of parliament, political
leaders, chiefs of the three services, members of the diplomatic corps,
journalists, elites and high civil and military officials.
Attired in a light-sky colour saree, Sheikh Hasina was looking confident
and lively at the Darbar Hall. Sheikh Hasina was given a standing ovation
when she entered the Darbar Hall at 3:30 pm. Minutes later President Hamid
entered the Darbar Hall.
The ceremony began with the recitation from the holy Quran.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, also the leader of the House, took
oath at 3:40 pm pledging to preserve, protect and defend the national
constitution and state sovereignty.
Later, the ministers and deputy ministers took oath separately.
Thousands of people from all walks of life thronged the Rajuk Avenue and
Bangabandhu Avenue intersection to have a glimpse of the new Prime Minister
when she was on her way back home from Bangabhaban.
