New cabinet faces multiple challenges ahead

The cabinet of the Awami League’s newly formed government faces multiple challenges ahead. The government’s efficiency in meeting future challenges and fulfilling the commitments they made is now the centre of discussions.

Awami League has formed the government for the fourth consecutive term, but this time they have to deal with several challenges, especially with tackling the economic situation and improving relationships with the West, including the US. These could turn out to be major factors.

Political experts say although the cabinet has been formed in combination of veterans and new faces, it may suffer due to lack of experience. They argue that some 30 ministers from the previous cabinet have been dropped.

However, the newly formed cabinet comprises a large section of the previous ministers. As many as 14 members of the new cabinet are newcomers. In addition to that major changes have been made in several significant ministries, including the commerce and the finance ministry. As a result, the question could be raised over this government’s weakness or efficiency in meeting the commitments tackling the future circumstances.

However, Dhaka University former professor Harun-or-Rashid thinks many of the new cabinet may lack experience. But the issues of fulfilling the commitments and facing the challenges depend on the party leader and the policy of the government.

Speaking to Prothom Alo over the phone Thursday, he said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has the experience of leading the government four times before this. Therefore, the new government formed by the Awami League will be able to progress in the face of future challenges, including containing price hikes, preventing corruption and tackling international affairs.

Several political analysts feel that the government might face problems in case of lack of experience in important ministries.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, another former professor of Dhaka University, Mahbub Ullah said a large part of the cabinet lacks experience and has shortcomings.

Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury has been promoted as full minister in the new government and has been given the responsibility of the education ministry. Although he served as the state minister of this ministry in the previous term, he now will have to handle the entire ministry alone.

The highly important commerce ministry doesn’t have any full minister this time. Ahsanul Islam has been appointed the state minister for the commerce ministry. This is his first term in the cabinet. There have been talks as to how a newcomer will handle a significant ministry as the commerce ministry without any prior experience amid the pressure of soaring price hike and increasing living cost.

Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali has been made the finance minister. He served as the foreign minister of the Awami League government formed in 2014. Although he studied economics, he was a career diplomat.

Appointing such a person who doesn’t have any experience in the finance sector in a time when the economic situation is being considered the biggest challenge for the government in the days ahead has sparked widespread reactions.

The election manifesto of the Awami League for the 12th general elections stresses on 11 issues, including keeping the prices of daily commodities within the reach of common people and employment.

However, massive changes have been brought in several significant ministries, including the commerce, finance, planning and agriculture ministry, which will have to play key roles to accomplish the electoral commitments, including containing price hike. There have been talks regarding work experience of the ministers and state ministers given the charge of these ministries.

Several western countries, including the US, took a stance regarding the 12th national elections in Bangladesh leading to deterioration in Bangladesh’s relationships with those countries. In this context, it will be a big challenge for the government to better the relationships with the western countries.

Some 15 ministers and state ministers from the previous cabinet have been reappointed to their respective ministries. They are AKM Mozammel Haque (liberation war affairs ministry), Obaidul Quader (roads and bridges ministry), Anisul Haque (law ministry), Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun (industries ministry), Asaduzzaman Khan (home ministry), Tajul Islam (local government and rural development ministry), Sadhan Chandra Mazumder (food ministry), Faridul Haque Khan (religious affairs ministry), Yeafesh Osman (science and technology ministry) and Farhad Hossain (public administration ministry).

Four of the state ministers in the new cabinet have been reappointed to their previous ministries. They are – Nasrul Hamid (power and energy ministry), Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury (shipping ministry), Junaid Ahmed (post, telecommunication and information technology ministry) and Zahid Faruk (waters resources ministry).

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader has been serving as the road transport and bridges minister for nearly 15 years. Several mega projects, including Padma Bridge, Bangabandhu Tunnel and metro rail projects, have been implemented under this ministry. Awami League highly publicised these accomplished projects as their success during electioneering. So, the ruling party didn’t want to risk any change in this ministry.

Asaduzzaman Khan is somewhat exceptional as a home minister in comparison to his predecessors who apparently had a tendency of sparking controversy within a few days after taking over. He served as the home minister for the last 10 years without stirring any controversy. Besides, he is reticent in nature which helped him refrain from any sorts of controversy.

Anisul Huq has been overseeing the law ministry for the last two terms. The Awami League considered him for the post of law minister once again. His late father Sirajul Huq was a prominent figure in the arena of legal affairs in the country.

Tajul Islam was given the same ministry of local government and rural development again to maintain the continuity of the government development works.

The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources is always kept under the direct authority of the prime minister. Usually, a state minister is given the responsibility of this ministry. Nasrul Hamid has been serving in that post for the last 10 years. He was given a place in the cabinet again. However, he will be in charge of only the Power Division this time.

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Zahid Faruk have served as state ministers for one term. The top leadership of the ruling party doesn’t have any plan to appoint any full ministers in these two ministries. There is no plan to promote them as full ministers either. Therefore, they both will be working in the same ministry. Junaid Ahmed too expected to get a promotion. However, he was reinstated as a state minister again.

There were only five central AL leaders in the previous cabinet, which increased to nine this time. These nine central AL leaders in the cabinet are – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, Muhammad Faruk Khan, Dipu Moni, Hasan Mahmud, Abdur Rahman, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Simeen Hussain and Mohammad Ali Arafat.

According to the sources in the Awami League, there was practice in the party to keep the government and the party separate. There was a reflection of it in the previous cabinet. However, this time some of the active politicians of the party have been picked considering political and economic challenges ahead. Besides, some of them were given ministry as a reward for being active in the party activities ahead of the polls.

Awami League sources say despite serving as the information minister, Hasan Mahmud is quite active in party activities. He has been appointed the foreign minister now. Hasan Mahmud served as the state minister for foreign affairs of the government in 2009.

Education minister of the previous cabinet, Dipu Moni has retained her place in the cabinet. However, she has been given the responsibility of the social welfare ministry.

Both Abdur Rahman and Jahangir Kabir Nanak have turned key figures at the policymaking level of the Awami League in recent times, according to the leaders of the Awami League. In addition, they were quite active in the party activities during the anti-government movement of the opposition parties. There are talks within the party that they have been rewarded for the service they provided during tough times.

According to some Awami League leaders, Faruk Khan was brought back to cabinet due to his past experience of running different ministries.

There was no one from the families of the four national leaders in the last cabinet. This time, Simeen Hussain Rimi, daughter of Tajuddin Ahmed, has been picked.

The decision regarding Fazilatun Nessa Indira, an MP of the 11th parliament from the reserved women seats and state minister for the Ministry of Women And Children Affairs in the last term, is yet to be finalised. Meanwhile, Meher Afroz Chumki, who served as the state minister for this ministry, lost the polls. Considering all the aspects, Simeen Hussain was the first choice of the party leaders for this post.

Mohammad Ali Arafat became a member of the Awami League’s central committee for the first time last year. After that, he became an MP winning a by-poll. He was re-elected again in the recently held parliamentary elections. The top leadership of the ruling party is considering him important for the future. He has been appointed the state minister for the information ministry.

Some 10 of the 14 new ministers and state ministers in the cabinet are business persons. Among the remaining members of the cabinet includes two teachers, a private job-holder and a physician, who was picked under the technocrat quota. Almost all the veterans in the cabinet are full time politicians.

Political analysts say the new cabinet has to gain the confidence of the people by proving their efficiency and competence.

Anti-corruption agency Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Iftekharuzzaman says there is nothing to be utterly disappointed or very optimistic about the new cabinet. The cabinet members will have to deal with the future challenges through honesty, efficiency and work.