Govt creates two new ministries

Munima Sultana The government Sunday created two new ministries by splitting the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The Ministry of Railway has been created, keeping the roads and bridges divisions under the Ministry of Communications. The Ministry of Science and ICT has been split into two, styled, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of ICT. The Cabinet Division issued two separate notifications on Sunday to this effect. The Railway Division was formed in April this year as the development partners blocked disbursement of assistance worth millions of dollars, asking the government to reform the railway. "Within a gap of seven months, the government changed the status of the Railway Division," said a Railway official preferring anonymity. He said a proposal sent by the communications ministry to create a separate ministry for the railway was rejected last year. However, sources said, the decision to form the Railway Ministry has been taken to accommodate one of the two newly-appointed full ministers. There were strong speculations that Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain might be put at the helm of the Railway Ministry while Obaidul Quader might get the portfolio of the Communications Ministry. Asked about the rumour over cell phone, Syed Abul Hossain, however, said he was not aware of any decision to make him Railway Minister and said all the decisions are being taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "I have not received any notification yet on the Railway Ministry. I do not know about any decision about changing my portfolio," he told the FE adding that he would accept whatever the Prime Minister decides for the sake of the country and the government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expanded her cabinet on November 28 inducting Suranjit Sengupta and Obaidul Quader as full ministers. The government has 37 ministries now. Nizam Ahmed adds: The separation of railway division from the ministry of communications is aimed at giving this particular mode of transportation of the country, considered by many as a long-neglected one, a separate identity and keeping its development projects free of corruptions charges as far as possible, officials and political observers said. "The authorities have decided to do this for smooth implementation of a Taka 600-billion mega project to modernize the railways by 2015," a leader of the ruling Awami League told the FE. The project was taken soon after the present administration took up the reins of administration in January 2009, and so far 30 per cent of related works under the project could be completed. However, 11 new locomotives are expected to join the Bangladesh Railway (BR) fleet soon and a 72-km railway track will be converted to a double-track one is to be completed by the end of the next calendar year, officials of the Railway Division said. Most railway modernisation schemes under the mega project are being funded mostly by the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other international financers, besides the domestic resource support being provided by the government, the officials of BR told the FE. "The government does not want to hear any allegation of corruption in any sector," another political leader of the ruling party told the FE.