DHAKA, Nov 24, 2020 (BSS) – The Awami League (AL) government today
filled up a vacancy in its cabinet by inducting a new face – Md
Faridul Haque Khan – an AL MP from Jamalpur-2 (Islampur) constituency
as the state minister for religious affairs.
President M Abdul Hamid administered the oath to the new office of
the state minister for religious affairs, which earlier fell vacant
after the death of Sheikh Md Abdullah.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at Bangabhaban’s Durbar Hall at
7 pm with a limited number of people by maintaining social distancing
and wearing mask.
Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam conducted the oath-taking
ceremony, where only 13 guests were invited, said a source familiar to
the process of the President palace.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Home Minister
Asaduzzaman Khan, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, lawmaker
Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq and secretaries concerned to the Bangabhaban and
other ministries concerned were present on the occasion.
Faridul Haque Khan was elected as an MP from Jamalpur-2 constituency
in the ninth, 10th and 11th parliamentary elections from the Awami
League ticket. Khan is the president of the Islampur upazila unit of
Awami League.
After the swearing-in, he signed the oath of office and oath of
secrecy as well.
On January 7 in 2019, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina was sworn
in as Bangladesh prime minister, serving as the 11th prime minister;
her third consecutive term.
Her government’s council of ministers includes 24 ministers, 19
state ministers and three deputy ministers.
This is her fourth term in office. With the tenure from 1996 to
2001 and three terms in a row since 2008, she heads for a record 20
years as the prime minister as well as the head of the government.