Online Desk: Seven new state ministers are going to be added to the existing cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Cabinet Division issued a circular on Friday (March 1) appointing seven new state minister. The new state ministers are going to be accommodated to the existing cabinet just after one and a half months following the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election.

The new members of the cabinet will be sworn-in at 7:30pm on Friday (March 1) at Bangabhaban in the capital. President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath to the new members of the cabinet.

The new state ministers are Md Shahiduzzaman MP from Naogaon-2 constituency, Md Abdul Wadud MP from Rajshahi-5 constituency, Md Nazrul Islam MP from Chattogram-14 constitruency, and Begum Rokeya Sultana, Begum Shamsun Nahar, Begum Wasika Ayesha Khan and Nahid Izhar Khan from the reserved seats of women.

It may be mentioned that a 37-member cabinet took oath under the leadership of Awami League president Sheikh Hasina on January 11 last following the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election. Apart from the prime minister, there are 25 full ministers and 11 state ministers in the cabinet.

On February 28, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhuri administered oath to 50 members elected unopposed to the reserved seats for women in two phases at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Since then, the expansion of the cabinet has been discussed by the party leaders and workers.

It may be mentioned that Awami League got 224, Jatiya Party 11 and Independents 62 seats in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election. Besides, Awami League led 14-Party Alliancxe partners — Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) — won one seat each. Bangladesh Kalyan Party won in one constituency.