Ashraf cancels London trip at PM\\\'s \\\'request\\\'

Former Local Government and Rural Development minister Syed Ashraful Islam has cancelled a trip to the UK to spend the Eid-ul-Fitr with family there at the “request” of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who last week stripped him of his LGRD portfolio. Ashraf, also the Awami League’s general secretary, told his staff after emerging from a two-hour-long meeting with party chief Hasina on Tuesday night that he was not going on the journey on Wednesday. His personal staff Syed Tofazzal Islam told bdnews24.com, “Sir said ‘tell protocol (officer) I’m not going tomorrow’.” Tofazzal had earlier said Ashraf was flying to London on Wednesday morning to enjoy the Eid with his wife and daughter. Several officials at the Ganabhaban said the party president had called in Ashraf at her residence on Tuesday evening. Security staff stationed there told bdnews24.com Ashraf drove in at 7:30pm and left around 9:45pm. A source close to Ashraf, who was retained in the Cabinet as minister without portfolio, said it was at the meeting that Hasina asked him to not go to London now. The prime minister removed his trusted lieutenant Ashraf from his portfolio on July 9, triggering intense nationwide speculations. But the son of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s close associate Syed Nazrul Islam is active in the party. After his sacking, Syed Ashraf said at an event he was loyal to the party as ever. He joined a function at Ramna’s Officers Club on Tuesday evening. He wished party leaders well, greeted them on Eid and promised to attend similar events in the next Ramadan, according to bdnews24.com.