Three technocrat ministers and one adviser to the Pime Minister resigned from the Cabinet on Sunday in response to a directive for non-parliamentary members of the Cabinet and Advisory Council to step down ahead of the th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election scheduled to be held on January 7, 2024.
Science and Technology Minister Architect Yafesh Osman, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar and State Minister for Planning Shamsul Alam
submitted their resignation letters to the Cabinet Secretary on Sunday.
Technocrat ministers are individuals who, not being elected members of parliament, are appointed to the cabinet based on special considerations by the government.
Those who are not lawmakers have been asked to step aside from the cabinet and the prime minister's advisory council.
Yafesh Osman's personal assistant, Ujjwal Chowdhury, confirmed his resignation, while Mustafa Jabbar's resignation was verified by an official from the ministry.
State Minister Shamsul Alam formally resigned at 3:00pm, as confirmed by an official in his office.
Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Advisor Mashiur Rahman acknowledged his resignation. The resignations come in response to a directive for non-parliamentary members of the Cabinet and Advisory Council to step down. While not constitutionally mandated, this practice was also observed before the 2018 national elections.
In 2018, ministers who resigned ahead of the election schedule included late Religious Affairs Minister Motiur Rahman, Science and Technology Minister Yafesh Osman, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam, and Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar. The technocrat ministers submitted their resignations on November 6, 2018, preceding the announcement of the election schedule on November 8.
The recent resignations coincide with the Election Commission's announcement of the schedule for the 12th national election on November 15. Within four days, the technocrat ministers submitted their resignations setting the stage for potential changes in the government structure.
The current cabinet comprises 25 ministers, 19 state ministers, and three deputy ministers, totaling 48 members, including the Prime Minister. The resignation of three technocrat ministers has brought the total down to 45.