DHAKA: Begum Khaleda Zia became Bangladesh’s first woman head of government when a 40member three-tier council of ministers was sworn in at a simple ceremony here Thursday..
Acting president Shahabuddin Ahmed administered the oath of office and secrecy to the prime minister and ministerial council which consists of 22 cabinet ministers 15 ministers of state and three deputy ministers.
A notable omission from the cabinet is the ruling nationalist party’s deputy leader in parliament Prof.A.Q.MBadruddoza Chowdhury considered an efficient parliamentarian whose exclusion came as a big surprise to political observers.
Chowdhury was the education minister in the dissolved cabinet under the discarded presidential system of government. Press reports recently said he had a difference of opinion on some issues and was feeling that he was not being given due weightage.
Chowdhury was a top aide of Begum Zia’s husband and Bangladesh’s assassinated president Zia-ur-Rahman.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 27, 1991
