The cabinet today approved the draft of a law that will pave the way for depositing the idle money to the public exchequer as Tk 2,12,100 crore remained unused till May this year.

The approval came from a regular weekly meeting of the cabinet held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the Secretariat here.

“The cabinet has approved the draft of the law for paving the way to help deposit the idle money to the public exchequer as the idle money is not now being invested for good purposes. The money has now been kept idle with various banks as FDR,” Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told a news briefing at the Secretariat.

He went on saying that the money will be used to carry out development works.

According to the information updated till May 2019, as many as Taka 2,12,100 crore of 68 autonomous, semi-autonomous, government statuary authorities, public non-financial corporation and self-governed organisations are kept idle, he informed.

Shafiul added: “Among the top 25 organisations, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has idle money of Taka 21,580 crore followed by Petro Bangla Taka 18,208 crore, Power Development Board (PDP) Taka 13,454 crore, Chittagong Port 9,913 crore and Rajuk Taka 4,030 crore.”

In accordance with the proposed law, the idle money of the organisations will be brought to the state exchequer after excluding the expenses for running the organisations, money for implementing various projects with their own finance and an additional 25 percent of the money for running the organisations to face any emergency situation, he added.

Senior Secretary to Bridges Division Khandker Anwarul Islam has been appointed as the cabinet secretary.

Public Administration Ministry issued a gazette in this regard today saying that the order would come into force immediately.

He will replace Mohammad Shafiul Alam. Shafiul will be appointed as alternative executive director of the World Bank for next three years as Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan’s tenure in the WB ends in October.

Shafiul will join the post on November 1. Public Administration Ministry issued a separate gazette in this regard today.

Khandker Anwarul Islam joined civil service in 1983.

He became secretary on January 31, 2013 and senior secretary on July 13, 2017. He is also the ex-officio executive director of Bangladesh Bridge Authority. Before this, Anwarul Islam worked in the cabinet division as additional secretary.

He joined Bridges Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges as secretary (in-charge) from November 13, 2011.

Anwarul Islam earned his BSS (hons) and MSS in social welfare from the University of Dhaka. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in development planning.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has chosen only her party colleagues in the new cabinet breaking the tradition of forming government with likeminded political parties.

Following a landslide victory in the national elections held last Sunday, the AL is going to form the government for the third consecutive terms with Sheikh Hasina assuming the office for the fourth term, a record touched by none in the country’s history.

In her new cabinet, Hasina has not picked any lawmakers from her alliance partners.

The Awami League formed the government for the first time under Hasina's leadership in 1996. In that cabinet, Jatiya Party leader Anwar Hossain Manju and JSD leader ASM Abdur Rob were made ministers.

In 2008, when the AL secured absolute majority, the Jatiya Party leaders including GM Quader were given place in the cabinet in addition with Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua.

In the end of the ninth parliament, JSD Chief Hasanul Haq Inu was also included in the cabinet.

In 2014, Sheikh Hasina formed the government for the second consecutive term and she made Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon minister along with Inu. Apart from this, 14-party grand alliance partner Jatiya Party leaders were also made ministers and state ministers in the 10th parliament.

However, this is for the first time ever when Sheikh Hasina is going to form the government with her party colleagues only.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam announced the names of the lawmakers to be inducted in the new cabinet. The new cabinet will be comprised of 24 ministers, 19 state ministers and 3 deputy ministers.

There have been changes in 18 ministries out of 25. Three ministers of the immediate past cabinet including Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon and Water Resources Minister Anwar Hossain Manju were dropped.

As HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party lawmakers will play the role of opposition in the parliament, they will also not be in the cabinet.