Staff Correspondent

Three ministers and state ministers serving in the technocrat (non-MP) quota submitted their resignations on Sunday, four days after the announcement of the 12th national election schedule.

They are Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman; Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar; and State Minister for Planning Shamsul Alam.
The three tendered their resignations to Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain.

Jabbar told the Daily Sun the Cabinet Division could comment on his resignation.

A source close to the state minister for planning told the Daily Sun Shamsul submitted his resignation to the cabinet secretary on Sunday.

An adviser to the prime minister also handed in his resignation. Mashiur Rahman, economic affairs adviser to the prime minister, told reporters members of the cabinet and the advisory council who are not lawmakers had been asked to step down.

In addition to Mashiur, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury is the adviser to the prime minister on power, energy, and mineral resources. Gowher Rizvi is the adviser on international affairs, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique on security affairs, Sajeeb Wazed Joy on information and communication technology affairs, and Salman F Rahman on private industry and investment. Among them, Salman is a lawmaker.

Technocrat ministers also submitted their resignations before the 2018 general election schedule announcement.

The cabinet headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has 25 ministers, 19 state ministers, and four deputy ministers. Three of them are ministers and state ministers in the technocrat quota. Besides, there are six advisers to the prime minister.