Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus unveiled the portfolios of the newly-appointed council of advisors with a keen focus on reshaping the administration he himself has taken direct charge of 27 key ministries. , Yunus appointed seasoned diplomat Mohammad Touhid Hossain as the head of the foreign ministry.
Muhammad Yunus - 27 Portfolios
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, was sworn in on Thursday as the head of an interim government after Sheikh Hasina suddenly resigned and fled to India. Hasina's departure came amid unrest over a disputed job quota system.
Yunus took on the role of chief advisor, similar to a prime minister. He will manage 27 ministries, including defence, public administration, education, energy, food, water resources, and information.
Other advisors were chosen after consulting with student leaders, the military, and civil society groups.
Mohammad Touhid Hossain
Former foreign secretary Hossain has been entrusted with the charge of the foreign ministry while retired Army brigadier general M Sakhawat Hossain was tasked to oversee the home ministry.
Hossain was the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata from 2001 to 2005 and served as Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh from 2006 to 2009.
Salahuddin Ahmed
Former Bangladesh Bank governor Salahuddin Ahmed will be in charge of the finance and planning ministries while former attorney general A F Hassan Arif will oversee the local government ministry.
Students' Movement Coordinators
The group waged first the street movement to reform the quota system for government jobs last month which later turned into a public upsurge and ousted Hasina’s 15-year regime and installed the interim government, visibly backed by the military.
Two coordinators of Students Against Discrimination inducted in the interim cabinet M Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud were given the charge of telecommunications and information technology and youth and sports ministries respectively.
Three members of the advisers’ council, mostly civil society figures, could not take the oath on Thursday night at the Bangabhaban presidential palace as they were outside of the capital and officials presumed that Yunus might distribute some of the 27 portfolios to them.
