Cabinet expansion: Four new faces likely to take oath this evening

Four new faces are likely to join the cabinet on Friday evening as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is going to expand the council of ministers.

Those who are going to be inducted into the cabinet are BNP Standing Committee member and Narsingdi-2 MP Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Chairman of Bangladesh National Party (BJP) and Bhola-1 MP Andaleeve Rahman Partho, Bandarban MP Saching Prue Jerry and Gaibandha-4 lawmaker Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln, sources said.

Of them, Moyeen Khan, Partho and Saching Prue may take the oath as ministers while Shamim Kaiser may be sworn in as a state minister.

Contacted, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani told UNB that there is a possibility that new cabinet members may take oath today.

He, however, could not say how many new members will be inducted or who they will be.

Meanwhile, a Bangabhaban official told UNB, on condition of anonymity, that several new faces may take oath in the evening.

They will take the oath at Bangabhaban in the evening following the oath-taking of newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Mirza Fakhrul will be sworn in as Bangladesh’s 23rd President at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30pm.

Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal will administer the oath of the office of the President, according to Bangabhaban.

After taking the oath, the new President will administer the oath to the new ministers.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, and over 1,200 invited guests are expected to attend the event.

The cabinet expansion is expected to bring a major reshuffle, including changes in ministerial portfolios.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman took the oath as prime minister on February 17 following the victory of his party in the February 12 election.

On the same day, 25 ministers and 24 state ministers also took the oath.

However, Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan resigned from his post on June 1, citing health reasons.

With Mirza Fakhrul becoming President, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives will also fall vacant.