With the 12th parliament sworn in on Wednesday, anticipation is high for the Awami League's cabinet formation, set to take place on Thursday evening. The announcement of new ministers promises surprises, as has become customary during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's four consecutive terms.
The public, politicians, and even newly elected MPs themselves are gripped by curiosity. Whispers fill corridors of power as they seek clues about who will stay and who will go, from established faces to potential newcomers. Some even approach close associates of the Prime Minister and media personnel in their desperate quest for information.
The element of surprise, however, is no stranger to Awami League cabinet formations. Since 2009, Prime Minister Hasina has consistently unveiled unexpected choices, injecting fresh faces and perspectives into her team. This year is expected to be no different, with a blend of seasoned veterans and exciting new figures likely to grace the ministerial ranks.
The exact composition of the new cabinet remains a closely guarded secret, resting solely on the Prime Minister's prerogative as granted by the constitution. Nevertheless, speculations are rife, fueled by whispers, past performance, and political ambitions.
The cabinet sworn program expected to take place at 7 pm on Thursday with President Shahabuddin administering the oath of office, promises to be a defining moment for the new parliament and Bangladeshi politics.
Sources said that this year's cabinet will be smarter to build a smart Bangladesh. Only such leaders will get a place in the cabinet, who can roam around the country day and night as per the instructions of the Prime Minister. Skills, political wisdom and administrative experience are discussed. Only those leaders who are acceptable to the political workers will enter the cabinet.
According to political circles and various sources, there will be a cabinet of maximum 50 members.
A cabinet official said the formation of the last two post-election governments was within 50 days. A 47-member cabinet took oath in the last session and a 48-member cabinet in the 10th parliament election before that.
The current three state ministers did not get party nomination. And three state ministers lost by contesting the parliamentary elections. Apart from these six, some others will be excluded due to various reasons including age and controversial work.
Apart from this, some ministries will also be reshuffled. People who are in the cabinet from important positions of the party are also being dropped this time.
Among the newly elected MPs, several ex-bureaucrats are likely to be inducted into the cabinet. Awami League's senior leaders, who are in important positions of the party, have been in trouble for the party in the past, now it is the demand of the time to evaluate them.
Apart from party leaders, elected MPs, technocrat quota will also be given preference to smart people with administrative experience in their respective fields. It is heard that skilled women can also be added to the technocrat quota.
Apart from this, the issue of district quota based ministry is gaining importance every year. Besides, some who served in 2009 and 2014 will return to the cabinet. Awami League's joint general secretary and current information minister in the Ministry of Information Hasan may stay at his position. If for some reason he is assigned to another ministry, the central leader of the party, Mohammad A. Arafat, may join as information minister.
A source of Awami League said that in the parliamentary elections, nominations were made by combining people from different classes and professions, and there will be a combination of all classes and professions from among the elected MPs in the formation of the cabinet.
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on January 10 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
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