Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - Four new advisers of the interim government have taken oaths today as the interim government expands its advisory council.
The new advisers are: Wahiduddin Mahmud, was an adviser to the caretaker government in 1996, Ali Imam Majumder, who was appointed special assistant to the Chief Adviser on August 12, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, and Lt Col (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
President Mohammad Sahabuddin Ahmed has administered the oath to the new advisers.
The sworn in ceremony was held at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, the president’s official residence, this afternoon.
Their addition bring the total number of advisers in the interim government to 21.
Earlier, a press release from Bangabhaban confirmed that the new advisers would be sworn in on Friday.
President's Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin informed BSS that the ceremony, presided over by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, will be held at Bangabhaban.
The Cabinet Division has directed the Department of Government Transport to prepare five vehicles for the event, sources also added.
The new advisers are expected to be assigned key ministries, including Education, Road Transport and Bridges, Agriculture, Public Administration, Commerce, and Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources.
This expansion follows the previous swearing-in of a 17-member Advisory Council led by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus, which took place in three phases starting on August 8, after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5, after which the cabinet was dissolved, and on August 6, the President dissolved the 12th Jatiya Sangsad.
The advisers sworn in on August 8 alongside the Chief Adviser include Salehuddin Ahmed, Asif Nazrul, Adilur Rahman, Hassan Ariff, Touhid Hossain, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Sharmeen Murshid, Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain, AFM Khalid Hossain, Farida Akhter, Nurjahan Begum, Nahid Islam, and Asif Mahmud.
Supradeep Chakma and Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar took oath on August 11, while Farooq-e-Azam joined as an adviser on August 12.
Currently, Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus is overseeing 24 ministries and divisions, including the Cabinet Division, and the ministries of defense, education, and road transport and bridges.
BBN/AN/AD