bdnews24.com :
Awami League leaders say General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam’s sacking from the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives has stunned them.
They are keeping quiet on the matter ‘fearing consequences’, they say. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina removed Ashraf on Thursday and put Expatriate’s Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, her daughter’s father-in-law, in charge of LGRD.
Several members of the party’s Central Working Committee separately told bdnews24.com, seeking anonymity, that it was a matter entirely between party chief Hasina and Ashraf.
But an organising secretary suggested the move be viewed positively. “The change has been done ahead of the 11th parliamentary polls,” he said but declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
However, another senior party leader said he suspected foul play.
“Tajuddin Ahmed was removed then
Senior Awami League leaders were silent on Thursday’s stripping of Syed Ashraf’s portfolio, a politically important ministerial post he had held since Hasina returned to power for a second time on Jan 6, 2009.
He is the son of Bangladesh’s acting President during the 1971 Liberation War, Syed Nazrul Islam.
Syed Nazrul was brutally murdered inside Dhaka’s Central Jail on Nov 3, 1975 along with three other leaders.
His son proved his mettle when the military-controlled emergency government sought to punish politicians and banish Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia from politics.
Quader treaded carefully, saying Hasina had the sole authority to decide on the Cabinet. “Inclusion or exclusion of someone is entirely her decision.”
He added Syed Ashraf’s removal from the key ministry would have no ‘adverse’ effect on the party. “You have seen the good and bad of the country’s running over the last few years. She [Prime Minister] has taken no wrong decisions.”
The two senior leaders have a history of exchanging barbs over how a minister should function. Quader was one of the choices for general secretary when Hasina was imprisoned during the caretaker regime, but Ashraf was chosen.
Party insiders say a number of senior leaders were also critical of Syed Ashraf’s style of functioning and that civil servants often found it difficult to work with him.
Speculations started on Tuesday that the Kishoreganj MP had lost his position at the LGRD ministry after the prime minister expressed her “anger” over his absence at an ECNEC meeting.
Unconfirmed reports had it that she had ordered Ashraf’s removal amid allegations of his “almost regular” absence from important meetings. There has been no reaction from Syed Ashraf, who had advised the press against reading too much into Tuesday’s rumours of his losing the portfolio. Before the official announcement, the 63-year old went the PMO and spoke to Hasina privately for 15 minutes.
Awami League leaders say General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam’s sacking from the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives has stunned them.
They are keeping quiet on the matter ‘fearing consequences’, they say. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina removed Ashraf on Thursday and put Expatriate’s Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, her daughter’s father-in-law, in charge of LGRD.
Several members of the party’s Central Working Committee separately told bdnews24.com, seeking anonymity, that it was a matter entirely between party chief Hasina and Ashraf.
But an organising secretary suggested the move be viewed positively. “The change has been done ahead of the 11th parliamentary polls,” he said but declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
However, another senior party leader said he suspected foul play.
“Tajuddin Ahmed was removed then
Senior Awami League leaders were silent on Thursday’s stripping of Syed Ashraf’s portfolio, a politically important ministerial post he had held since Hasina returned to power for a second time on Jan 6, 2009.
He is the son of Bangladesh’s acting President during the 1971 Liberation War, Syed Nazrul Islam.
Syed Nazrul was brutally murdered inside Dhaka’s Central Jail on Nov 3, 1975 along with three other leaders.
His son proved his mettle when the military-controlled emergency government sought to punish politicians and banish Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia from politics.
Quader treaded carefully, saying Hasina had the sole authority to decide on the Cabinet. “Inclusion or exclusion of someone is entirely her decision.”
He added Syed Ashraf’s removal from the key ministry would have no ‘adverse’ effect on the party. “You have seen the good and bad of the country’s running over the last few years. She [Prime Minister] has taken no wrong decisions.”
The two senior leaders have a history of exchanging barbs over how a minister should function. Quader was one of the choices for general secretary when Hasina was imprisoned during the caretaker regime, but Ashraf was chosen.
Party insiders say a number of senior leaders were also critical of Syed Ashraf’s style of functioning and that civil servants often found it difficult to work with him.
Speculations started on Tuesday that the Kishoreganj MP had lost his position at the LGRD ministry after the prime minister expressed her “anger” over his absence at an ECNEC meeting.
Unconfirmed reports had it that she had ordered Ashraf’s removal amid allegations of his “almost regular” absence from important meetings. There has been no reaction from Syed Ashraf, who had advised the press against reading too much into Tuesday’s rumours of his losing the portfolio. Before the official announcement, the 63-year old went the PMO and spoke to Hasina privately for 15 minutes.
