Ministers to continue: PM

‘Posts valid until president accepts resignation’

Ministers to continue, PM says

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates a new building at Dhaka University in the capital today. While addressing the ceremony the premier said ministers will remain in their positions until the president accepts their resignation. Photo: Banglar Chokh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the ministers will remain in their positions until the president accepts their resignation.
The premier cleared the current status of the ministers at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury senate building of Dhaka when the topic of the ministers’ resignation and at the same times their participation in the government affairs drew huge flak.
On November 11, all the 52 ministers and state ministers submitted their resignation to pave the way for formation of an all-party interim cabinet to oversee the next parliamentary polls.
They continue their ministerial jobs like participating in cabinet meeting even after tendering resignation amid widespread controversy over their authority to do so.
About submitting the resignation letters by the ministers she said, “Our ministers have just expressed their intent to resign.”
There will be a small cabinet when the general election will approach nearer, Hasina said after inaugurating six new buildings at the DU including one dormitory for students.
“We could have dissolved the cabinet. But without doing so, when I urged all, ministers submitted their resignation letters,” the PM said.
She claimed that as per the constitution, the prime minister has the rights to reshuffle the cabinet by excluding someone or inducting some new faces.
“So, as the prime minister I will decide whom I will keep and whom I will drop from the cabinet, and then send recommendations to the president for his approval,” the premier stated.
Hasina said, “We want to protect continuation of the democracy and at the same time, we do not want to keep any space through which anyone can take over the state power unconstitutionally.”
“We want to set a good system for the future generation through which, elections will be held,” she added.

Source: The Daily Star