Staff Reporter :Minister without portfolio and Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam was made Public Administration Minister on Thursday. The Prime Minister reallocated the portfolio in exercise of power under rule 3 (4) of the Rules of Business, 1996. A gazette notification has been issued in this regard ordering immediate effect of the appointment.On July 9, he was removed from LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry amid widespread speculations over his absence in an ECNEC meeting as well irregular in party’s organisational activities.Meawhile, Syed Ashraf cancelled his London tour after two hours long meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Gonobhaban on Tuesday evening. On the same day Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and a number of AL leaders and activists met with Syed Ashraf at his Bailey Road official residence and requested him not to go London right now. Syed Ashraf continued to serve as LGRD Minister for his second term after Sheikh Hasina formed the government for the third term after the January 5 election in 2014. He was state minister for civil aviation and tourism in Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet in 1996. Eldest son of slain national leader Syed Nazrul Islam, a close political aide of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the acting President of the Mujibnagar government formed during the Liberation War, Asharf went to London for settlement after his father’s assassination in 1975, but he was active there with AL politics.In 1996, he retuned home and elected MP from Kishoreganj Sadar constituency with AL ticket in the 7th parliament elections.
