Zahir Uddin Swapan has resigned as Minister of Information and Broadcasting and has been appointed Political Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The Cabinet Division issued two separate gazette notifications on Saturday (August 22) regarding the changes. A notification signed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani said, “The resignation letter of Zahir Uddin Swapan, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, has been accepted by the President. The resignation will take effect immediately.”

In another notification, the government said Swapan had been appointed Political Adviser to the Prime Minister under Rules 3B(1) and 3B(2) of the Rules of Business, 1996.

According to the notification, while serving as the Prime Minister’s Political Adviser, Swapan will enjoy the status, salary, allowances and other benefits and facilities equivalent to those of a minister.

Earlier, as part of the first reshuffle of the BNP government led by Tarique Rahman, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was reassigned from Swapan to Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partha. Partha was sworn in as a full minister at Bangabhaban on Friday (August 21) evening and subsequently given charge of the ministry. The BNP alliance partner is also the Member of Parliament for Bhola-1.

As part of the first cabinet reshuffle, the Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification around midnight on Friday, announcing the redistribution and reallocation of ministerial portfolios. The following day, Swapan’s resignation as minister was formally announced.