Seven new faces take oath as state ministers

Seven new faces, including four women, were inducted in the council of ministers yesterday, 52 days after the Awami League formed the government for the fourth straight term.

With them, the number of members in the council of ministers  is now 44. Eight of them are women, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Of the five cabinets led by Hasina, the existing cabinet has the highest number of female members.

The last cabinet had five female members including the prime minister. Besides, a minister, two state ministers, and one deputy minister were in the council of ministers.

The first, second, and third cabinets led by Hasina comprised four, six, and five female members respectively.

The seven new faces, who are lawmakers, were made state ministers to different ministries.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered their oaths of office at the Bangabhaban at 7:30pm.

Waseqa Ayesha Khan, AL's finance and planning affairs secretary, took charge as the state minister for finance, Rokeya Sultana, who is a doctor and also the party's health and population affairs secretary, got the portfolio as the state minister for health, and Shamsunnahar, AL's education and human resources affairs secretary, took charge as the state minister for education.

Nahid Izhar Khan, daughter of martyred Col Khandoker Nazmul Huda, was given the responsibility of the state minister for cultural affairs.

They are MPs to the reserved seats for women.

Abdul Wadud, lawmaker from Rajshahi-5, became the state minister for Rural Development and Co-operatives Division, and Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker, lawmaker from Naogaon-2, the state minister for planning.

Chattogram-14 MP Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury was given the job of the state minister for labour and employment.

Of the 44 members in the council of ministers, 26 are full ministers and 18 state ministers. Two are technocrat ministers in this cabinet.

There is no deputy minister.

The possibility of extending the cabinet had been under discussion since the AL formed the government on January 11 with 37 members in the council of ministers.