Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister yesterday evening, marking a peaceful return to democracy.
Thirty-one others were inducted into her council of ministers.
President Iajuddin Ahmed administered oath to the new head of government and her colleagues at a simple ceremony in Bangabhaban Darbar Hall.
The cabinet comprises 23 ministers and eight state ministers. Of them, only AMA Muhith, Matia Chowdhury, AK Khandaker, Syed Ashraful Islam, Syed Abul Hossain and Dipankar Talukder have previous experience.
GM Quader from Jatiya Party and Dilip Barua from Samyabadi Dal represent AL’s partners in the grand alliance that won 262 seats in the 300-member parliament a week before.
Three came on technocrat quota. They are Barua, Barrister Shafique Ahmed and AL Science Affairs Secretary Yafes Osman.
Hasina sprang quite a few surprises in her picks. Many senior leaders including presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil, Suranjit Sengupta and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury were left out.
The other prominent figures missing include Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Asaduzzaman Noor.
Political analysts put their exclusion down to dubious role in the post-1/11 months and corruption allegations.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu were not included though they were widely tipped to be ministers.
The choice of Dr Dipu Moni as foreign minister and Sahara Khatun as home affairs added another element of surprise. The two are among the five women in the cabinet including Hasina.
Dignitaries including former chief advisers and advisers to the caretaker government, judges, diplomats, civil and military bureaucrats and newly elected lawmakers attended the swearing-in ceremony that began at 6:30pm.
The MPs-elect of BNP and its allies did not the join the function. BNP, still reeling from a huge polls debacle, however sent a delegation to be there.
After taking oath as prime minister for the second time, Hasina said her government’s main task is slashing prices of essentials and maintaining law and order.
“People have elected us with great expectations and we must live up to those,” she added.
She said a few more new faces would join her council as people do not want to see the same old faces.
Fakhruddin Ahmed, whose around two-year term as chief adviser ended yesterday, said, “I wish the new government the best of luck.”
Army Chief of Staff General Moeen U Ahmed said he expects everyone will cooperate with the government.
“We hope our expectations for the nation to be developed by 2020 will be fulfilled,” he added.
BNP Vice-president MK Anwar said his party is ready to help the grand alliance government. But they will have to keep their pledge to “bring down the price of rice to Tk 10 a kg”.
“If this government fails to make good on its electoral promises, we’ll wage a movement against it with people on our side,” he told reporters in his reaction.
The just sworn-in prime minister will now request the president to convene the ninth parliament that will elect new president within 30 days of its first sitting.
On recommendations of the cabinet, the president will appoint chief whip and whips of parliament before the inaugural sitting.
Sheikh Hasina will enter the prime minister’s office at 10:10am today.
She is scheduled to lay wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Dhanmondi Road-32 at 8:10am and at the National Mausoleum at 9:10am.
SIZE OF CABINET
The number of ministers suggests that the AL chief was cautious not to be slated over the size of her council of ministers like her arch-rival Khaleda Zia.
On winning the two thirds majority in the 2001 parliamentary election, BNP-Jamaat alliance formed a 60-member council, largest in the country’s history, and drew a lot of flak for that.
In the December 29 national election, the grand alliance won a whopping 262 seats. Hasina’s party alone bagged 230, the number is much higher than that of BNP in 2001.
Khaleda Zia had a 33-member council of ministers in her first government in 1991.
In 1996, Hasina had only 19 ministers to assist her in running the government. The number however increased later.
WHAT MINISTERS PLEDGED
The prime minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers took oath under the third schedule of the constitution.
In their oath, they swore that they will discharge their duties faithfully and preserve, protect and defend the country’s constitution.
They pledged to “do right to all manner of people according to the law, without fear of favour, affection or ill-will”.
They also affirmed that they “will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person any matter which shall be brought under their consideration” except as may be required for the due discharge of duty.
SCENES AT DARBAR HALL
Bangabhaban teemed with life again after seven years as over a thousand dignitaries from home and abroad joined the oath-taking ceremony.
The guests arrived at the official residence of the country’s president to warm welcome from the Bangabhaban staff. They nodded greetings as many of them met after a long time.
Nobel Laureate Prof Mohammad Yunus, Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda, former presidents HM Ershad and AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, heads of diplomatic missions, leaders of different political parties, city corporation mayors and eminent citizens attended the function.