New cabinet likely tomorrow
A section of Jatiya Party (JP) leaders, led by Rawshan Ershad, wife of HM Ershad, is bargaining with the Awami League for portfolios in the Cabinet in accordance with commitments made before the election. The JP chairman, HM Ershad, however, did not take oath on Friday despite publication of the gazette. Party MPs claimed he would take oath soon.According to JP sources, the party has sought portfolios for GM Quader, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, Anisul Islam Mahmud, Kazi Firoz Rashid, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, Mujibul Huq Chunnu and Tajul Islam in the new ministry to be led by the Awami League.
Rawshan Ershad will enjoy full minister status as Opposition Leader in Parliament, while advocate Salma Islam has no chance to include herself as a minister in the cabinet, sources further said. “An elected MP should take oath within three days after publication of the gazette, but, if any elected MP lives abroad or is in hospital, he or she can take oath after reaching the country or after discharge from hospital. Our chairman has been undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for the past 28 days. He will take oath in a day or two after discharge from the hospital,” JP presidium member and MP Kazi Firoz Rashid told The Independent on Friday.
Regarding joining the cabinet, he said they are yet to know how many portfolios would be given to the JP. However, a JP source, close to the AL, said: “The AL will not agree to allot many portfolios for the JP MPs. They can offer one, two, or at the most three portfolios in the new cabinet. All depends on our chairman and the number of portfolios he can manage to get from the AL.”
“Our chairman will appear before the public soon and will clarify about his taking oath as MP in the 10th Parliament. We hope, he will take oath within one or two days. He will also clarify about joining the cabinet, although as Opposition,” JP secretary general, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader said.
He further said the party chairman will clarify the party position and remove misunderstanding among party leaders through a press briefing.
On December 3, Ershad had declared that his party would boycott the 10th parliamentary election. Ershad’s declaration came after six Jatiya Party leaders were sworn in as ministers in the interim government. On November 18, five ministers and two state ministers and an adviser to the Prime Minister took oath to supervise the general election.
Courtesy of The Independent
