Govt clarifies: Cabinet will continue functioning beyond November

The interim government has issued a statement clarifying that the Cabinet and the Advisory Council will continue functioning beyond November, dismissing confusion created by recent remarks from Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam.

At a “Meet the Reporters” event organised by the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Sunday, Mahfuz Alam said the Cabinet would “close in November,” as the Election Commission would take over responsibilities afterwards. His comment sparked speculation that the advisory body’s activities would cease by the end of November.

Responding to the confusion, the interim government on Monday stated that the advisers would continue their duties until a newly elected government assumes office. “It is not correct that all reform and policy initiatives must be completed by November,” the statement read. “The reform process will continue in full swing.”

The statement further added that the Advisory Council will keep holding regular meetings until power is officially handed over to the next elected administration.

The interim government has already announced that the 13th parliamentary election will be held in February. Meanwhile, the BNP has demanded that the current administration operate in the style of a “caretaker government” to ensure neutrality ahead of the polls.

Mahfuz Alam had earlier mentioned that limited time remained to implement reforms, saying, “Initially, we had three months; now perhaps only a month remains. Many of these measures must be approved in Cabinet meetings or through policies and ordinances, but after November, we might not be able to do that.”

His comments, later clarified by the government, were part of a discussion highlighting progress in implementing reforms at the Ministry of Information.