Hasina, cabinet colleagues pay homage to Bangabandhu

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi in Dhaka city on Tuesday morning.

After laying the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, the architect of independence.

Flanked by the new cabinet colleagues, Hasina, also the Awami League (AL) president, placed another wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait as the party chief.

Advisers to the prime minister, Jatiya Sangsad chief whip, whips, AL parliament members and central leaders were also present on the occasion.

The prime minister and her new cabinet colleagues will later go to the National Memorial at Savar and pay tributes to the Liberation War martyrs, BSS news agency reported.

Hasina took oath as the prime minister for the fourth time, the third in a row, with a 47-member council of ministers on Monday, a week after Awami League-led Grand Alliance’s landslide victory in the 11th parliamentary election held on December 30 last.

President M Abdul Hamid administered the oath of office and oath of secrecy to Hasina and her new cabinet members - 24 ministers, 19 state ministers and three deputy ministers - at a state ceremony at Bangabhaban Darbar Hall on that day.