New cabinet likely to take oath Jan 05

The Election Commission on Monday announced the results of 298 seats of the 11th parliamentary polls held on Sunday.

It showed that the Awami League-led grand alliance won 288 out of 298 seats.

Of them, the AL gained 259 seats while Jatiya Party led by HM Ershad clinched 20, Workers Party led by Rashed Khan Menon 3, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by Hasanul Huq Inu 2, Bikalpa Dhara led by Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury 2, Tarikat Federation 1 and Jatiya Party led by Anwar Hossain Manju 1.

The main contender of the grand alliance got only 7 seats and independent candidates won 3 seats.

Of them, BNP got 5 seats while Gano Forum led by Dr Kamal Hossain bagged 2 seats.

Election to Brahmanbaria-2 constituency was postponed due to violence on the polling day while election to Gaibandha-3 constituency was deferred to January 27 following the death of a candidate.

According to sources, the cabinet division is taking preparations to arrange the oath-taking ceremony of new cabinet members on January 05.

Article 56 of the Constitution stipulates that the present cabinet would be automatically dissolved with the oath- taking of new cabinet members.

According to the Constitution, the President will ask the leader of the majority party to be the Prime Minister of the new government.

The process of forming the cabinet will start after issuing a gazette notification by the Election Commission.

The prime minister has the sole authority to pick the cabinet members from the members of parliament. But she can include 10 per cent cabinet members from those who are not MPs.

The last cabinet had 52 ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers.

[email protected]