The Cabinet Division today published a gazette distributing portfolios among the new cabinet members immediately after its 47 members took oath at Bangabhaban.

The outgoing cabinet got abolished with the publication of the gazette.

According to the gazette, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will have the portfolios for Cabinet Division, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

There are 24 ministers, 19 state ministers and three deputy ministers in the new cabinet constituted following Awami League’s landslide victory in the 11th parliamentary election held on December 30, 2018.

The health condition of ailing Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, who is now undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka, remained unchanged, his brother GM Quader said today.

The former president is responding to the calls of the dear ones and moving his eyelids, Quader said at a press briefing this afternoon.

Ershad has not been put on life support. He is on oxygen support due to breathing difficulties, Quader said. 

Ershad, now 89, was given oxygen support as his health condition deteriorated on Sunday.

On June 27, Ershad was admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. He was being treated there for several infections.

Over the last nine months, the former military ruler has been suffering from various health-related issues.

The health condition of ailing Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has remained unchanged, the party’s acting chairman GM Quader said today.

Ershad has been on dialysis for the last two days and given mechanical ventilation, he said quoting doctors at Dhaka Combined Military Hospital (CMH).

“Doctors are optimistic that Ershad might get well with better treatment but he is not yet out of danger,” Quader, the younger brother of Ershad, said while briefing reporters at the party’s Banani office this noon.

Replying to a query, Quader said, all of the medical reports have been forwarded to doctors at Singapore but the specialists have discouraged to send him there (Singapore) as Ershad has been on life support.

GM Quader sought blessings from all for his brother’s quick recovery.

Ershad, now 89, was admitted to CMH on June 26 and kept on oxygen support since June 30.

The former military ruler has been suffering from various health-related issues over the last nine months

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina-led new cabinet will be formed tomorrow excluding some heavyweight ministers of the immediate past cabinet.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam today announced the names of the new cabinet members including 24 ministers, 19 state ministers and three deputy ministers.

A total of 31 new faces were included in the cabinet while 25 ministers, nine state and two deputy ministers of the immediate past cabinet were excluded.

Some new faces have been given priority in the new cabinet to give them space bringing dynamism in the state function, an Awami League leader wishing anonymity told The Daily Star.

The Awami League bigwigs are among Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, LGRD Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Expatriate Welfare Minister Nurul Islam, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon and Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain were dropped from the new cabinet.

Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam died on January 3. Finance Minister AMA Muhith, prior to the 11th parliamentary election, told that he would take retirement and thus he did not participate in the December 30 national election.

Among the Awami League-led 14-party grand alliance, Workers Party of Bangladesh President also former Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Samastantrik Dal (JSD) President also former Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu were dropped from the new cabinet.

Former Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Food Minister Qamqul Islam were also kept aside from the new cabinet.

Of them, Maya was not given nomination to contest the just ended national election.

Among the state ministers, former State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam, Jatiya Party Presidium Member and also State Minister for Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu, State Minister for Information Tarana Halim and State Minister for Local Government Mushiur Rahman Ranga were also dropped form the new cabinet.

There is no Jatiya Party lawmaker in the new cabinet as the party has recently announced that it would act as a real and effective opposition party in the 11th parliament.

There were three state ministers in the immediate past cabinet.

Awami League secured 257 seats, its alliance partners Jatiya Party got 22, Workers Party of Bangladesh 3, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh 2 Tarikat Federation 1, JSD 2 and Jatiya Party (Manju) secured 1 seat in the December 30 national election. 

However, Awami League did not pick any lawmaker from its alliance partners in the new cabinet.