The cabinet Division has invited some 25 MPs as ministers and 11 as state ministers to take oath as new cabinet members led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain shared the information with journalists at the secretariat on Wednesday night. Read more: Cabinet clears draft law to check loan defaulters The 25 ministers are: AKM Mozammel Haque, Obaidul Quader, Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Dr. Dipu Moni, Tajul Islam, Farooq Khan, Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, Advocate Anisul Haq, Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Abdus Shaheed, Sadhan Chandra Majumder, RAM Ubaidul Mokhtadir Chowdhury, Abdur Rahman, Narayan Chandra Chanda, Abdus Salam, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, Farhad Hossain, Faridul Haque Khan, Zillul Hakim, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Nazmul Hasan Papon, Yeafesh Osman and Dr. Samanta Lal Sen. The 11 state ministers are:  Mohammad A. Arafat, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Nasrul Hamid, Simeen Hossain (Rimi), Rumana Ali, Ahsanul Islam (Titu), Shafikur Rahman Chowdhury, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Zahid Farooq, Kujendra Lal Tripura, Mohibbur Rahman. Of them, Yeafesh Osman and Dr. Samants Lal Sen will take oath as technocrat ministers, he added. Regarding portfolios, the secretary said that it will be known tomorrow after taking oath. Read more: Cabinet body approves proposals for import of fertliser, LNG and sugar

The resignation letters of three technocrat ministers and three advisers to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh have been accepted. The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday (November 29, 2023). The three technocrat ministers-- Posts, Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar, Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman and State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Ala —resigned from their respective posts on November 19. Process on to accept resignations of 3 technocrats in cabinet, 4 PM's advisers Besides,  Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi also resigned from their respective posts on the same day. PM helms science, telecom ministries quit by technocrats    After resignation of the three technocrat ministers, now there are 44 cabinet members except the Prime Minister and of them 23 are ministers, 18 are state ministers and three are deputy ministers. On November 15, Kazi Habibul Awal, Chief Election Commissioner announced that the national election will be held on January 7. Resignation of 4 technocrat ministers accepted; gazette published

The Cabinet Division has finalised the proposal to form two new divisions named after two major rivers in the country - Padma and Meghna.  The proposed Padma division will comprise five districts of Faridpur and Meghna division will have six districts - three each from Cumilla and Noakhali.  It will be placed at National Implementation Committee for Administrative Reforms (NICAR) meeting on November 27, according to the meeting sources.  Read more: Proposals to import sugar, fertilizer get cabinet body nod  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will chair the meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat.  Six proposals will be placed at the November 27 meeting including creation of administrative department for Padma and Meghna , transferring Islamic University police station in Kustia to Jhaudia area and renaming it as Jhaudia police station .  Also relocation of Jhaudia police camp to Islamic University campus and naming it Islamic university police camp will be proposed.  Read more: Cabinet okays 22 public holidays in 2023 Besides, proposition  to form municipality at Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira district, subtracting conflicted part of Kajla and Boail union of Sariakandi upazila and adding it to Madarganj upajila of Jamalpur district , reforming the area of Madarganj upazila and extending the area of Mymensingh’s Nandail upazila will be made at the meeting.

Access to Information (A2I) under Cabinet and ICT divisions in cooperation with UNDP observed an era of providing services to citizens through digital centres on Friday. A programme was organised marking the era anniversary where State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak was present in the capital, as the chief guest. ICT division’s Senior Secretary NM Ziaul Alam and Local Government division’s Additional Secretary Dr Muhammad Sher Ali were present as special guests at the function with A2I Project’s Director Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir in the chair. Read more: Digital Bangladesh: World’s 7th largest data centre eyes foreign currency State Minister Palak said entrepreneurs of the country’s digital centres will be made smart entrepreneurs to turn Bangladesh into a smarter one from digital by 2041. “For that online and offline trainings for entrepreneurs of digital centres across the country will be arranged,” he said, adding that one each digital centre will be set up in 87, 000 villages in the country. To convey digital services to people’s door-steps, one each digital centre will be set up within the distance of every two kilometers instead of now five kilometers, he said. The state minister also said special training and internship on skill development will be arranged for women entrepreneurs to convey unique services through the digital centres. Read more: Digital centres to transform villages into cities: LGRD Minister will also be taken to turn every digital centre into a rural economic hub through a participatory environment among men and women, he said.Along with the central function, several programmes were also organised marking the era anniversary in every district, upazila and union across the country with the campaign ‘Smart Bangladesh 2041: Smart services for all’.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reiterated that the newly opened Padma Bridge will immensely contribute towards improving the lives and livelihood of the people of the country. “It is a huge milestone to change the fate of the people of our Bangladesh,” she said while chairing the Cabinet meeting through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other cabinet members were connected from the Conference Room of the Cabinet Division. Read:Cost very reasonable, no scope for corruption: PM on Padma Bridge project The premier once again slammed some local economists and dignitaries who stated that the bridge project won’t be viable and the cost can't be recovered. “What has happened now? The bridge will definitely change the lives and livelihood of the people," she said. She said like the Bangabandhu Bridge the Padma multi-purpose bridge will be a game changer in the country's development and prosperity.

The government has issued a notification declaring 'Joy Bangla' as the national slogan of Bangladesh. The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Wednesday. According to the notification, officials of all government offices should chant the slogan 'Joy Bangla' at the end of all national day celebrations and other functions of the state and the government. Besides, teachers and students should say the slogan 'Joy Bangla' at the end of daily gatherings and for concluding speeches at meetings and seminars in all educational institutions. Read: ‘Joy Bangla’ to be national slogan: HC Earlier on February 20, the Cabinet decided to make 'Joy Bangla' the national slogan. The decision came after the High Court on March 10, 2020, declared ‘Joy Bangla’ to be the national slogan of the country. Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his historic ‘March 7 speech’ in 1971 concluded his speech chanting ‘Joy Bangla’. ‘Joy Bangla’ was also the main slogan during the Liberation War in 1971. Freedom fighters made the supreme sacrifice shouting ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan after being captured by Pakistan occupation forces.

Public and private organizations have been instructed to run with half the employees from Monday till February 6 in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard on Sunday. The other half of the staff will function virtually, according to the notification. Bangladesh Supreme Court will issue necessary directions regarding the activities of the court during this period. Also read: Tough Covid curbs back in Bangladesh amid Omicron scare Besides, Bangladesh Bank and Financial Institutions Division will provide necessary instructions regarding banks, insurance and financial institutions. Earlier on Friday, the government announced the closure of all the schools, colleges and universities till February 6. Covid situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh logged 14 more Covid-linked deaths with 10,906 fresh cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning. Also read: Covid surge in Bangladesh: All educational institutions to remain shut till Feb 6 The daily positivity rate increased to 31.29 per cent from Saturday’s 28.02 per cent after testing 35,051 samples, according to the Directorate general of health Services (DGHS). The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,223 while the caseload mounted to 1,685,136 on Sunday

To keep the wheels of the economy rolling during the ferocious second wave of the pandemic, the government Thursday allowed the resumption of all public transport services from August 19. All tourist spots, community centres, resorts and recreation facilities can also reopen but with 50% capacity from August 19 and following all Covid-safety protocols, the Cabinet division said in a notification. Read: Covid-19: Bangladesh announces new restriction rules The latest directive will remain in force until further orders, according to the Cabinet division.  Earlier, the government had allowed only half of the public transport vehicles to ply on the roads, following all health protocols. Moreover, it was silent on the reopening of the tourist spots and community centres. According to the latest notification, all modes of public transport, including those of road, river and railways can restart operations following all health protocols. Use of masks and social distancing will be mandatory everywhere. And legal action will be taken against violators, be it individuals or organisations, according to the government.       The authorities concerned have been asked to take necessary steps in this regard.   Bangladesh was put under the “strict” lockdown on July 23 barring people from leaving their homes except for essential reasons. Read: Bangladesh eases lockdown, but Delta variant ready to hit freedom Scheduled to end on August 5, it was later extended to August 10.

Dr Shamsul Alam, a member of Planning Commission’s General Economy Division (senior secretary), will take oath as State Minister for Planning on Sunday. Contacted, Dr Shamsul Alam told UNB that he was asked to be present at 7:30 PM  at Bangabhaban on Sunday. Read:Rupganj factory: Legal action against owner if negligence found, warns State Minister Asked whether he is going to take oath as state minister he said, “A summary in this regard was sent to the Prime Minister from the Cabinet Division yesterday, and she signed it. So far, I know it.” Sources at the Cabinet Division said he is likely to be state minister for planning under technocrat quota.

The government has announced a 9-day lockdown in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj districts from Tuesday as the Covid-19 situation continues to worsen across the country. Cabinet secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam announced the decision at an emergency press briefing on Monday. Read:13 more die of Covid-19 at RMCH in 24 hrs The Cabinet Division also issued a circular in this regard. The circular said the lockdown will remain in force from 6 am on June 22 to June 30 midnight. However, emergency services like transportation of agricultural equipment and inputs (seeds, fertilizer, insecticides, agri machinery), crops, food items, relief activities, health services, Covid-19 vaccination, water, power, gas, fire service, port activities, telephone, internet services, mass media (electronic and print), private security services, postal services and offices related to emergency services, their employees, vehicles will remain out of the purview of the restrictions, the circular added. Read:Bangladesh reports alarming 82 Covid deaths, highest in 52 days Covid situation in Bangladesh As the Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh has taken a turn for the worse again, 82 more people died of coronavirus in 24 hours until Sunday morning. During the period, 3,641 more Covid cases were detected after the test of 22,231samples, said a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Read: Khulna set to go under 7-day strict lockdown from June 22 With the new numbers, the country’s caseload now stood at 851,668 while the death toll at 13,548, said the DGHS handout.