PM picks 28 to run polls-time govt

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday formed a 29-member polls-time cabinet, keeping some poor performing ministers while dropping several outstanding achievers.
The ruling Awami League has kept all the key ministries like the home, public administration, law, foreign, LGRD and finance. Hasina holds the cabinet and armed forces divisions and the defence, public administration, information and communications technology and power and energy ministries.
HM Ershad's Jatiya Party, a major player in the upcoming election, has got six ministries -- commerce, health, civil aviation and tourism, water resources, youths and sports and women and children affairs. These ministries, however, have nothing much to do with the election.
Despite creating series of controversies, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan and State Minister for law Quamrul Islam retained their posts. Shahjahan in addition was given the charge of the Liberation War ministry.
A top trade union leader, Shahjahan faced severe criticism after he said education was not necessary for getting a driving licence. “If one can sign his name, understand traffic signs and signals and know the difference between a cow and a goat, he should be issued a driving licence.”
Syed Ashraful Islam, who was among those less active in the cabinet, retained the LGRD ministry. But his deputy, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, lost the job.
Ministry sources said it was Nanak who basically ran the ministry over the past five years.
Shamsul Hoque Tuku also retained his post of state minister for home.
Forest and Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud and State Minister for Labour and Employment Mannujan Sufian are also in the polls-time cabinet although what they achieved is not clear.
Railway Minister Mujibul Haq, Textile and Jute Minister Latif Siddique and Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu got additional ministries, though none of them are known for high performances. As additional jobs, Mujibul got religion affairs, Latif science and technology and Inu cultural affairs ministries.
Abdur Razzaque, who officials say ran the food ministry quite efficiently, was dropped. Ramesh Chandra Sen, who was in charge of the water resources ministry, got his job, though his performances were under question.
Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain were given additional responsibilities.
As part of their additional job, Matia will run fisheries and livestock, Nahid primary and mass education and Mosharraf labour and employment ministries.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Planning Minister Air Vice-marshal (retd) AK Khandaker, Commerce Minister GM Quader and Communications Minister Obaidul Quader retained their positions. State Minister for CHT Affairs Dipankar Talukder and State Minister for Social Welfare Promode Mankin are also in the cabinet.
Top AL figures Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, Dipu Moni, Sahara Khatun, Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju and Suranjit Sengupta have been dropped from the cabinet.
In his 13-month tenure as home minister, Muhiuddin often made news headlines by making controversial statements.
After the collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar killing over 1,100 people, the bureaucrat-turned-politician said the building caved in as pro-hartal men shook it. Recently, he said the family members of those killed in hartal violence should attack BNP chief Khaleda Zia's house.
Dipu Moni, who was replaced by Abul Hasan Mahamood Ali, made nearly 200 oversees trips in the last five years as foreign minister. Allegations are that she has failed to improve relations with several key countries.
Mahamood ran disaster and relief ministry before getting the new charge.
Shafique Ahmed, who ran the law ministry, and Dilip Barua, who was the industries minister, have been made prime minister's advisers with ministers' status. With them, the PM now has 10 advisers.
The public administration ministry yesterday issued a gazette notification, allocating and redistributing the ministries. Another notification was issued, accepting the resignation letters of 16 ministers and 14 state ministers of the previous cabinet.
Hasina on Monday inducted eight new faces into the cabinet, beginning the formation of the polls-time government.
Of them, AL stalwarts Amir Hossain Amu got land and disaster management and relief ministries and Tofail Ahmed industries and housing and public works ministries.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon got the posts and telecommunications ministry.
Jatiya Party presidium members Anisul Islam Mahmud and Rawshan Ershad got water resources ministry and health ministry respectively. Its Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader will run the civil aviation and tourism ministry.
JP leaders Salma Islam and Mujibul Haque Chunnu were appointed state ministers for women and children affairs and youth and sports respectively.
Hasina had originally proposed forming an all-party government to oversee the national election, to be held by January 24. But the cabinet has so far no opposition members, as the BNP has refused to join.
The opposition alliance wants a non-party polls-time administration whose head would be a "respected" citizen chosen through consensus among political parties.
The opposition maintains it will not participate in the election if it is held under the Hasina administration.