‘Controversial’ ministers dropped from the board

Most of the members of the last cabinet, who the Awami League leaders themselves think have given rise to controversies over the last five years, have been dropped from the newly-formed cabinet.

Awami League General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, who retained his portfolio, told reporters yesterday that those who had failed to properly carry out their duties during the previous term were not considered.

The ministers, who featured in the immediate past cabinet and were dropped either because they performed poorly or there were criminal or graft allegations against them, include Suranjit Sengupta, Hasan Mahmud, Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Dipu Moni, Shahara Khatun, AFM Ruhal Haque, Mostafa Faruque Mohammed, Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, Rezaul Karim Hira, Abul Kalam Azad, Muhammad Faruk Khan, Abdur Razzaque, Afsarul Ameen, Abdul Latif Biswas and Ramesh Chandra Sen.

GM Quader, commerce minister of the previous cabinet, could not win the election in his constituency.

Among the state ministers, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mahbubur Rahman Talukdar, AB Tajul Islam, Ahad Ali Sarkar, Md Shahjahan Miah, Md Motahar Hossain, Mozibur Rahman Fakir, Omor Faruk Chowdhury and Md Abdul Hyee lost their offices too.

Former state ministers Abdul Mannan Khan and Dipanker Talukder failed to win in the January 5 election while Muhammad Enamul Huq failed to get party nomination.

In April 2012, law enforcers caught one of the personal aides of former railway minister Suranjit Sengupta with Tk74 lakh undisclosed cash in the capital. The aide was allegedly carrying the money to Suranjit’s residence. Suranjit, who was included in the immediate past cabinet following a reshuffle, was made a minister without portfolio after he decided to quit following the incident.

According to the affidavit that was placed with the Election Commission (EC), former environment minister Hasan Mahmud’s wife owned assets worth a staggering 2,290 times higher than what she had five years back.

Former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman Talukdar now owns an astronomical 2,865 acres of land. Five years ago he owned only 20 acres.

Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju was shifted from the telecom ministry to the labour ministry following allegations that he was attached with illegal call termination business, better known as illegal VoIP business. There were also allegations against him following a murder in his hometown Narsingdi.

Dipu Moni, the first female foreign minister in the country’s history, was widely criticised for her frequent overseas tours that cost the government exchequer huge sums every time.

Shahara Khatun, the first female home minister in history, was Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s confidante, but there had always been questions regarding her efficiency as a minister. She was made the post and telecommunications minister after she failed to perform satisfactorily as the home minister.

AFM Ruhal Haque, while serving as the health minister over the last five years, was also involved in telecom business. He used to run an International Gateway (IGW) that owed the government more than Tk50 crore taka and recently went off-air.

Mostafa Faruque Mohammed and Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali became ministers by chance after Tofail Ahmed and Rashed Khan Menon turned down offers to become ministers during the 2012 reshuffling of the cabinet. So, their exclusion from the new cabinet was not surprising.

Former law minister Shafique Ahmed and industries minister Dilip Barua were appointed advisers to the prime minister.

Although dropped from the poll-time government, former state minister for land Mostafizur Rahman has been made full minister in the new cabinet. State Minister for Science Yeafesh Osman and State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze retained their portfolios.

Syed Abul Hossain and Tanzim Ahmed Sohel Taz, minister and state minister in the previous cabinet respectively, resigned from their posts.

The previous cabinet’s state minister for women and children affairs Shirin Sharmeen Chowdhury was elected the Speaker of Parliament.

A minister of the poll-time government, Rawshan Ershad has already been appointed the Leader of the Opposition in parliament. Poll-time minister ABD Ruhul Amin Hawlader was not considered for the new cabinet either.

Former state ministers Salma Islam, Monnujan Sufian and Shamsul Hoque Tuku were also dropped.

Two former senior ministers AK Khandakar and Enamul Hoque Mustafa Shaheed withdraw from battle of ballots because of old age.

Source: UNBConnect