Sheikh Hasina Wajed Sworn in as Bangladesh Prime Minister

Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as the country's new prime minister yesterday evening, marking a peaceful return to democracy.

Thirty-one others were inducted into her council of ministers.

President Iajuddin Ahmed administered oath to the new head of government and her colleagues at a simple ceremony in Bangabhaban Darbar Hall.

The cabinet comprises 23 ministers and eight state ministers. Of them, only AMA Muhith, Matia Chowdhury, AK Khandaker, Syed Ashraful Islam, Syed Abul Hossain and Dipankar Talukder have previous experience.

GM Quader from Jatiya Party and Dilip Barua from Samyabadi Dal represent AL's partners in the grand alliance that won 262 seats in the 300-member parliament a week before.

Three came on technocrat quota. They are Barua, Barrister Shafique Ahmed and AL Science Affairs Secretary Yafes Osman.

Hasina sprang quite a few surprises in her picks. Many senior leaders including presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil, Suranjit Sengupta and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury were left out.

The other prominent figures missing include Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Asaduzzaman Noor.

Political analysts put their exclusion down to dubious role in the post-1/11 months and corruption allegations.