Recently removed LGRD and cooperatives minister Syed Ashraful Islam has canceled his London tour after his party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s request yesterday.
Earlier, he was scheduled to go London today 10am to celebrate the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr with his family.
Gonobhaban sources told the Dhaka Tribune last night that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called Syed Ashraf at her official residence Gonobhaban yesterday evening, and the primer has also held a meeting with Ashraf around two hours.
Ashraf has entered in Gonobhaban at 7pm and leaves at 10pm.
Ashraf’s personal secretary Syed Tofajjal Islam said: “Sir [Syed Ashraf] has informed his protocol that he would not go to London.”
Tofajjal also said Earlier Ashraf also joined a programme at Ramna Officers Club in the capital.
Ashraf, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, is scheduled to leave Dhaka at 10am on today, earlier confirmed sources in the party to the Dhaka Tribune.
On Thursday last week, Ashraf was made minister without portfolio after removing him from the LGRD ministry. He had been serving the ministry since the party came to power in 2009.
After three days of rumour centring his removal, the government finally adopted the decision and Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was replaced to the post while the new minister will exercise his previous onus as excess duty.
The sudden removal created huge uproar in the country although the AL leaders claimed that it was not punishment, rather a very simple matter in a democratic government to engage him more actively in the party activities.
Source: Dhaka Tribune