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Majidul himself was ignorant of PM’s decision

By Staff Correspondent
Senior minister M Majid til Huq’s failure to attend the inaugural convocation of the Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Agriculture (IPSA) become the proverbial "last straw on the camel's back” for his losing the Agriculture portfolio, ruling party insiders said yesterday.
Majid ul-Huq, who ranked third in the cabinet, behind the Prime Minister and Law Minister Mirza Golam Hafiz, failed to turn up for the programme at Gazipur on June 24, which the PM took as a direct affront to her Besides, the function was rather poorly managed, the source said.
. The source, Go»« to the Prime Minister s office said that Begum Zu was shocked by the whole thing and immediately made up her mind to move Huq from the Agriculture Ministry
' Not a single member of the cabinet knew about the change," the source said
"Only Food Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan was in formed by the PM that he would have to take the addi nonai responsibility "
Maud ul Huq himself learnt of the decision Tuesday evening when he was attending Parliament. A treasury bench member had heard the news on TV and told a minis ter who in turn asked Huq if it was true Huq reportedly expressed total ignorance
Senior officials at the PM s office came to know about the major development juat before noon, tne source added
Even BNP Secretary Gen eral and Huq's cabinet col league Abdus Salam Talukder heard the news first from a reporter at around 11:30 pm Other ministers also admitted they had no inkling about the change
In the past the Prime Min istcr usually consulted some of her senior ministers who are believed to comprise the kitthen cabinet.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said that Maud ul Huq’s per formance as head of two vital ministries — Agriculture and Water Resources — was questioned time and again by his cabinet colleagues Especially, speculation was rife that Huq may be relieved of the Agriculture portfolio in the wake of the recent fertiliser crisis Many quarters openly blamed him for actions leading to the crisis which really hurt the ruling party's image among the farmers and general public. Many also wanted him to own responsibility by resign ing from the cabinet. Eventu ally, it was Industries Ministet A M Zahiruddin Khan who shouldered the blame for the tertiliser bungling and resigned
Education Minister Jamir uddin Sircar was also conspicnous by his absence at the Gazipur convocation.