A cabinet of new faces

THE PM is to be congratulated on the boldness of her thinking when it comes to those named to her cabinet. She has thought outside the box to bring together a team that is notable for the absence of most of the old guard and anyone whose name is linked to corruption.
In other respects, as well, this is a cabinet to be optimistic about. It is not over-sized, it is not packed with the PM's family members or those known to patronise cadres, and, by and large, is filled with fresh faces with good track record and clean reputations. Of course, we note with disappointment that some able names with good reputations have been left off the list, apparently due to their lack of perceived loyalty to the PM.
But there appears to have been a serious attempt to bring in people more from the grassroots district level rather than only the central party leadership, to seat a broad-based and balanced cabinet, to bring in coalition partners, and to blood a new generation of untainted leaders -- all good signs.
Only two ministers have held full ministerial roles before, A.M.A. Muhith and Matia Chowdhury, and both are excellent choices, who bring a proven record of accomplishment to their jobs.
The inclusion of two untried faces at home and foreign affairs has caught attention. At home, Shahara Khatun, is well known for her probity and ability, and we hold her in high regard. This is perhaps the most challenging and difficult ministry to handle and will require astuteness and a firm hand. She will need to exert her authority from day one.
Similarly, in the case of Dr. Dipu Moni, the new foreign minister, we know her to be a talented woman with an excellent reputation, and there is no question in our mind that she merits a place in the cabinet and we envision a very bright future for her.
There is a question, however, whether the high pressure position of foreign minister, where she will be expected to negotiate with the likes of Hillary Clinton and Pranab Mukherjee, is the ministry to debut one untested on the international stage and in governance. It is a tough job even for the most talented, and usually goes to a seasoned hand.
Our final point is over the role of the four advisers to the PM. The four are of the utmost reputation, and any government would surely be happy to have them in its corner. But our concern is the scope for confusion, even conflict, in their relation to the cabinet, and we call on the PM to clarify the modalities of the arrangement.
In the final analysis, only time will tell. It is too soon to render any definitive judgment. We will have a good sense of what direction things are going within the next 100 days. Until then, we congratulate the PM for the freshness of her thinking and hope that the new faces she has taken a chance on will rise to the challenge and fulfill the nation's high expectations of them.