Coronavirus has not just slowed down socioeconomic activities, but has also put a dampener on politics. Ruling Awami League plans to emerge from this standstill over the next two months. The party’s leadership has decided to fill up the vacant posts at various levels in the party.
Meanwhile, the government has been facing a volley of criticism during this pandemic, due to the performance of the health ministry as well as other offices and departments. The party leadership is also mulling over changes in the cabinet to this end, according to sources in Awami League (AL).
AL’s central working committee meeting is likely to be held mid September. Directives will be issued at the meeting to step up organisational activities. Cabinet changes are likely to follow.
In the meantime, two AL presidium members, Mohammad Nasim and Sahara Khatun, and the party executive committee member Badaruddin Ahmed Kamran, have passed away. And there were already four vacant posts in the committee formed at AL’s national council last year. In all, seven posts in the party need to be filled. Several district committees as well as many committees of the party’s afflicted organisations are also not full-fledged as yet.
Incomplete committees to be completed
Awami League’s last national council was held on 20-21 December after which the present central committee was formed, in a few phases. However, in the 81-member central committee, the posts of religious affairs secretary and secretary for industries and commerce and two executive member posts remain vacant.
The performance of many ministries and departments of the government have come under question during the coronavirus pandemic. The health ministry was being particularly criticised.
Despite changes in AL, no presidium member was dropped at the last council. On the contrary, Shahjahan Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman were added, to fill the posts that had been lying vacant. But two posts have fallen vacant again with the death of Mohammad Nasim and Sahara Khatun.
These two vacant positions are likely to be filled from among the four joint general secretaries of the party, though the names of a few cabinet members are also being heard. There is also the possibility of bringing in members from the families of the four national leaders.
The recently demised state minister for religious affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had long been in the post of the party’s religious affairs secretary. No one was appointed to this post at the last council. The party is looking for someone who would be acceptable among the religious community. And someone from among the business community is likely to be appointed as industries and commerce secretary.
AL presidium member and agriculture minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that at the party’s selection board meeting on Sunday, party president, prime minister Sheikh Hasina, had discussed increasing party activities. The party’s central working committee meeting may be held in September. The meeting will discuss political and organisational matters in detail.
Changes in the cabinet
After the eleventh national parliamentary polls, on 6 January last year for the third consecutive time, a 47-member cabinet was formed under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. Of them, 27 had joined the cabinet for the first time.
The first change in this cabinet came within four months, with state minister for health Murad Hasan being appointed as state minister for information instead. Then in 12 July, state minister Imran Ahmed was made full minister of the expatriate welfare ministry and Fazilatun Nesa was made the new state minister for women and children’s affairs. In February this year, housing and public works minister SM Rezaul Karim was made minister for the fisheries and livestock ministry. State minister for fisheries Ashraf Ali Khan was made state minister for social welfare.
An AL central leader, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, said that the performance of many ministries and departments of the government have come under question during the coronavirus pandemic. The health ministry was being particularly criticised. There were also indications of likely changes in certain key ministries, given the prevailing global circumstances. Alongside appointing a state minister for religious affairs, there may be some changes in other ministries as well.
Faruk Khan told Prothom Alo, when questioned in this regard, that the party chief had not said anything about cabinet changes. But that was the prime minister’s jurisdiction and she would take decisions as necessary.
*This report appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir