Cabinet reshuffle a normal matter

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said cabinet reshuffle was a normal matter in the parliamentary form of democracy and this could be done at any time.

She was talking to journalists after exchanging Eid greetings with the people of all strata including party leaders and activists, professionals, judges and foreign diplomats at her official Gono Bhaban residence on Saturday.

Her remarks came after much-talked about changing of portfolio of Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam. Ashraf was made minister without portfolio after being relieved from the LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry on July 9, and after the span of one week, he was given the charge of Public Administration Ministry.

When the prime minister's attention was drawn regarding Ashraf's portfolio changing, she said cabinet reshuffle could be done at any time. "Distribution of portfolio among the cabinet members is the jurisdiction of the head of the government. We may bring this kind of change in time to time."

She also mentioned that changing in the cabinet brought dynamism in its activities and people also got more interest in this matter. "It's a simple matter... it happens always and every country and there is no scope for making adverse comments about this matter."

In this connection, she recalled that after the independence of the country when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the head of the government, the charge of AL was given to AHM Quamruzzaman with minister status as Bangabandhu left the party's presidency.

The prime minister also remembered that Bangabandhu in 1957 quit the cabinet and became the general secretary of the party to build the party. "It was a unique case in the country and he was the only one person who left ministership to organise the party."