Diplomat-turned-politician A H Mahmud Ali was today appointed as Bangladesh's new Foreign Minister as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expanded her cabinet, 49 days after her new government was installed.
Retired army colonel Mohammad Najrul Islam MP has been entrusted with the charge of water resources ministry as a state minister.
President Abdul Hamid administered the two ministers oath of office at the Bangabhaban presidential palace in the presence of Hasina, her cabinet colleagues and civil and military officials.
"Works are underway to issue separate gazette notifications sanctioning their portfolios," a cabinet division spokesman told reporters.
With the appointment of the two ministers, the existing cabinet has 30 full ministers, excluding the premier, 18 state ministers and two deputy ministers.
A former career diplomat Ali briefly served as the Foreign Minister in Hasina's cabinet ahead of the January 5 polls. He had also served as the disaster management minister.
Ali was widely tipped to return as the Foreign Minister, the portfolio which was until now overseen by the premier herself while Shahriar Alam was made the state minister.
Islam is new face in politics as he joined the ruling Awami League after his retirement from the army.
The new government was installed on January 12 when Hasina took oath along with her cabinet colleagues inducting three leaders of Awami League's crucial ally Jatiya Party, one of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and one of Workers Party.
The poll was boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
