Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the chances of Cabinet reshuffle before elections to the two Dhaka city corporations are slim.
“The Cabinet reshuffle is a routine work. And it’s under the Prime Minister’s jurisdiction. I don’t think there’ll be any expansion or reshuffle in the Cabinet before the city corporation polls,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.
The Awami League general secretary said the chances of reshuffle are “very low” but reiterated that the Prime Minister can make changes anytime.
Dhaka north and south city polls are scheduled for January 30.
Replying to a question, Quader, the number two man in the ruling party, said only the Prime Minister will decide who will stay in the Cabinet. “We’ll accept her decision. I’ll quit if (the Prime Minister) asks me to,” he said.
Asked about the report published in Sweden-based Bangla news portal Netra News on his seven luxury watches, the ruling party leader said party activists from abroad gifted him those.
“Activists gifted me these watches out of love. Someone brings coat-pins while someone suits. I didn’t buy anything,” he said.
The minister also claimed that he never sits with any contractor and the Prime Minister herself bears his election expenses.
According to the Netra report, each watch costs Tk 9 lakh to Tk 28 lakh.