Staff Reporter :
In a significant development, four more advisors have taken the oath to join the 17-member interim government led by Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, bringing the total number of advisors to 21.
The new advisors were sworn in at the Bangabhaban on Friday afternoon in a ceremony administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
The event was moderated by Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain.
The newly appointed advisors are distinguished individuals with extensive experience in their respective fields. They include economist Wahiduddin Mahmud, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder, former power secretary Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, and Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. While the new advisors have not yet been assigned specific ministries, their addition is expected to further strengthen the interim government’s capacity during this transitional period.
Among major reshuffles, Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, who has been serving as Home Affairs Adviser, will now look after the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, according to the press statement.
Former director general of Border Guard Bangladesh Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, who has been sworn in as a new advisor today, will be in charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs. He will also be in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Among the other new advisers, Economist Wahiduddin Mahmud has been given charge of the Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Education.
Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder, also a new adviser, has been appointed to the Office of the Chief Adviser.
The redistribution of the portfolios of existing advisers is as follows:
Salehuddin Ahmed: The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce.
Asif Nazrul: The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
Adilur Rahman Khan: The Ministry Industries and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources.
Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain: The Ministry of Textiles and Jute.
Farooq-e-Azam: The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
Md Nahid Islam: The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan: The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The charges of other advisers will remain unchanged.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, was formed on August 8 following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in the wake of a student-led mass uprising on August 5.
The uprising, which demanded significant political and social reforms, ultimately led to the dissolution of the previous government and the establishment of the current interim administration.