Quader hints at cabinet expansion
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday hinted that the cabinet may be expanded.
“I will talk to the prime minister regarding this after she returns from China. However, it [expansion] may not happen very soon,” Quader said while replying to a query at a press conference in secretariat.
When a reporter asked about possible expansion of the cabinet, Quader first referred to it as “just speculation”.
Later, he said some posts, including the women and children affairs ministry, in the cabinet are still vacant. “So, the issue of expansion, instead of reshuffle, is now in focus. There may be expansion,” he added.
On May 19, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reallocated portfolios of five cabinet members as she curtailed powers of two ministers and increased that of two state ministers.
ALLOCATION NOT ENOUGH FOR DISTRICT ROADS
Quader said his ministry got Tk 37,827 crore budgetary allocation for this fiscal year, which is Tk 580 crore more than the previous fiscal.
The minister disclosed the information a day after Roads and Highways Department released a report which found 247km (24.34 percent) of its roads are in poor, bad or very bad condition.
Asked about it, Quader said, “These are district roads which have been getting inadequate allocation for many years.”
However, the report shows 787.33km of national and 872.18km of regional highways are in poor, bad or very bad condition.
Quader said allocation for district roads has increased in last two years and will increase further in future. The minister said he will request the prime minister so that Planning Commission increases allocation in this sector.
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