Staff Reporter :Syed Ashraful Islam has been removed from the Ministry of LGRD and Co-operatives portfolio on Thursday.A gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Thursday said Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has been given additional charge of the Ministry of LGRD and Co-operatives. Exercising the power bestowed on her under rule 3(1V) of the Rules of Business 1996, the Prime Minister has redistributed the portfolios of the ministers, the notification says.Ashraful Islam, also Awami League’s general secretary has been made minister without portfolio, added the notification. His removal came after huge rumours and speculations over the past few years that he might be relieved of his portfolio for remaining absent at his office for long.Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was dissatisfied on Syed Ashraful Islam as he did not attend the meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), according to a highly placed source in the government. On the same day at his constituency in Kishoreganj Syed Ashraful Islam at an iftar programme had advised journalists not to pay heed to rumours following media reports about his removal from the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives. “I know nothing. It is better you don’t pay heed to any rumours,” Ashraf had told journalists there.On Tuesday morning, Ashraf was at his official residence on Bailey Road when the ECNEC meeting was progressing at the council auditorium. After the meeting, the Prime Minister summoned Ashraf to the national Parliament. He went to the Parliament Complex at about 1:00pm and had one-to-one meeting with her, party sources said. Later, Ashraf left for Kishoreganj to attend an iftar party organised by the district Awami League. The ECNEC officials placed a proposal for Tk 6,076 crore project under which each lawmaker would get Tk 20 crore over a period of the rest four years for development works in their respective constituencies.As the LGRD minister was not present there to explain the project, the ECNEC officials proposed that the discussion on the topic be postponed. The PM, who had been chairing the meeting, appeared a bit annoyed at that moment.Ashraf was serving as LGRD and Co-operatives minister in his second stint. He was first given the portfolio in 2009. He also served as the state minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry during 1996-2001 AL regime.Meanwhile, in his instant reaction Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain who has been given additional charge of the LGRD and Co-operatives Ministry said that he would discharge his responsibility with honesty, sincerity and efficiently. “As my professional career began with this ministry I hope that I shall be able to discharge my responsibility. Simultaneously, I shall continue as Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister,” he told journalists at his residence at Badarpur in Faridpur district.
