In a surprise move, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has dropped A K Abdul Momen who is believed to be pro-China as foreign minister in her new cabinet. And his junior minister, Shahriar Alam, too did not get a place in the new Sheikh Hasina Cabinet.

After being sworn in as the Prime Minister has included some heavyweights and removed around 30 of the previous Cabinet ministers. These include senior ministers of Finance, Commerce and Agriculture ministers have been dropped.

Sharing his views regarding the change of the ministers, with Financial Express Online, Gautam Lahiri, a senior journalist and Bangladesh commentator, says: “When Western world were against Bangladesh during the election India stood firm that Awami League was the best option for India’s security and connectivity. Sheikh Hasina also realised that India is only a trusted neighbour for its stability.

“While making a new cabinet she addressed the concern of India about certain political elements who were trying to make China as a close partner,” he states.

According to Lahiri, “In the key ministry like foreign affairs Hasina had chosen former information minister Hasan Mahmood who is known to be receptive to India’s concern. And pro-Chinese top leaders like Abdur Razzak who was agriculture minister were dropped.”

The Bangladesh Prime Minister has made a balance between two strong neighbours and former commerce minister Lt Colonel (retd) Mohammad Farooq Khan, as cabinet minister who led Awami League delegation to China just before election was announced.

“In totality Hasina’s cabinet will please South Block as India’s High Commissioner Pranay Verma met foreign minister and invited him to Delhi as early as possible,” opines Lahiri.

More about the New Cabinet

Out of the 30 who were shown the door include 15 cabinet ministers, 13 state ministers and two deputy ministers. And, of the 37 members in the new council of ministers, 14 are first timers — seven ministers and seven state ministers.  Seven of the 11 state ministers in the new council of ministers are newcomers. The other four were retained from the outgoing council of ministers.

Based on information available in the public domain, former information minister of the previous cabinet Dr Hasan Mahmud has been made new foreign minister. And he is expected to visit India next month.  No junior minister has been appointed in the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign affairs.

Former foreign minister AH Mahomud Ali is the new Finance Minister. He was the foreign minister of Bangladesh from 2014 to 2018.

While there is no cabinet minister appointed for Information and Broadcasting, instead young Muhammad Arafat has been appointed as minister of state in Information and broadcasting.

Now, so far there are 15 new ministers in the newly formed Council of Ministers, and in case no more ministers are appointed, this is considered to be the smallest in recent times. The names along with the portfolios of the 37 council of ministers was unveiled by Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain.

According to reports, other than the prime minister, there will be 25 ministers and 11 state ministers. The 30 ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers dropped from the 48-member outgoing council of ministers include Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Planning Minister MA Mannan, and Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi.

There will be four women members including the prime minister in the new cabinet. Two women members were brought in as state ministers. There are four members from minority communities — three of them as ministers. PM Hasina, according to information in the public domain, has not included in the new cabinet anyone from her party’s electoral allies.