Sagar Biswas :
Rumour ran high in the political circles about the fate of Syed Ashraful Islam-the second-man of the ruling party Awami League – when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reportedly expressed her determination to relieve him from the LGRD Ministry.
The PM, who was busy to attend ECNEC meeting on Tuesday, expressed sharp reaction about the absence of Ashraf in the meeting and asked the concerned officials to take necessary action in this regard, according to the report ran by a Bengali daily at first in its online version.
Later, it became viral in the print, online, electronic and social media, and the issue of Ashraf became talk of the town.
The Cabinet Division, however, did not issue any circular about the portfolio of LGRD Minister till the time of filing of this report at 8:30 pm yesterday.
Cabinet Secretary said that he was not aware of any removals in the LGRD Ministry. “I have no information about it,” Cabinet Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said.
Meanwhile, Syed Ashraf went to his home at Kishoreganj yesterday where he was paid a guard of honour. Deputy Commissioner, SP and senior district officials were present at the occasion.
He also joined an Iftar party at Kishoreganj in the evening. But he did not address the gathering. Even, he did not give any direct answer of questions thrown by the local newsmen. “I don’t know about the matter. You better ask the media,” Ashraf said.
Sources said, in yesterday’s ECNEC meeting, a proposal for Tk 6,076 crore project was placed. Under the project, each lawmaker would get Tk 20 crore over a period of five years for development works in their respective constituencies. But Ashraf skipped the meeting.
The ECNEC officials proposed to postpone the matter, while the LGRD Minister was not present there. The PM, who was chairing the meeting, expressed her annoyance over Ashraf’s absence.
“Why he isn’t here? I will remove him,” the PM reportedly said. The PM was seen sitting in the ECNEC conference room for more than half an hour after the meeting ended.
Several senior AL leaders, while talking to The New Nation, termed the rumour as damaging for the ruling party as well as for the government.
Meanwhile, the band of reporters and photo journalists thronged in front of Ashraf’s residence to confirm the news soon after the rumour spread. But, he was not available.
It is not for the first time. Ashraf’s resignation rumour had hit the headlines of media several times in the previous years.
Ashraf had differed the policies and views of the party president Sheikh Hasina over some sensitive issues. Of them, he was very much vocal about the removal of caretaker government provision from the Constitution and delaying the trial of war criminals.
Especially, the mutual relation between the PM and Ashraf became bitterer following the dam-defeat of party supported candidate Shamim Osman in Narayanganj City Corporation election.
Party insiders said that Syed Ashraf was also very much annoyed over the activities of Mahbubul Alam Hanif, especially for taking the role of party’s spokesman often.
Political analysts said that Ashraf, son of acting president of Liberation War time government-Syed Nazrul Islam, played a very significant role during the Emergency Period after 1/11 political turmoil.
He was the key-person to deal as a mediator on behalf of AL with the military-backed government while most of the important leaders including general secretary MA Jalil either in jail or exile.
His effort reportedly had saved party president Sheikh Hasina from an indefinite period exile following a minus-two formula. At the same time, he showed his expertise to hook the foreign powers particularly; United States of America, United Kingdom, China and India.
After the landslide victory in 2008 election, Ashraf was awarded the post of party’s general secretary as well as LGRD Ministry.
However, in fact, Ashraful Islam is widely known as a ‘seasonal bird’ in the concerned ministry as he hardly receives telephone and remains absent at the meetings of the party’s different wings.
Ashraf is also very rare at his ministry in the secretariat office. He usually does not take part in any ministerial meeting. He signs important files sitting in hid house, according to sources.
