The caretaker government is expected to appoint four new advisers and a special assistant to the chief adviser.

The new advisors are likely to be Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, businessman Sheikh Bashir Uddin, filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and special assistant to the chief advisor Mahfuj Alam, according to a report by Prothom Alo.

Among them, Sayedur and Bashir today received an invitation to take the oath, sources close to the matter confirmed to The Business Standard on condition of anonymity.

Apart from these new advisors, the government is also expected to appoint former inspector general of police Khuda Baksh Chowdhury as the new special assistant to the chief advisor.

Dr Md Sayedur Rahman was earlier appointed as the vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on August 27. Sayedur previously worked as chairman of the pharmacology department at BSMMU. Before that, he was the university registrar.

Sheikh Bashir Uddin is the Managing Director of the Akij-Bashir Group, one of the country’s leading industrial conglomerates. He is the son of industrialist Sheikh Akij Uddin.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki is a director, producer and screenwriter. He became famous for his films “Third Person Singular Number”, “Television” and “No Bed of Roses”, which received critical acclaim at home and abroad.

Mahfuj Alam was one of the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement which led the popular student uprising in July-August. He currently serves as Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor.

Khuda Baksh Chowdhury served as Inspector General of Police from November 2006 to January 2007. He also served as Senior Police Advisor to UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan) from June 2008 to April 2010.

The new councilors are expected to take oath at Darbar Hall in Bangabhaban around 7 pm today (November 10).

President Mohammed Shahabuddin will take the oath of office, in the presence of senior government officials and dignitaries, according to government sources.

ATM Kowser Hossain, the director (road) of the government transport ministry, told The Business Standard that the Cabinet division had requisitioned five vehicles.

The vehicles will be sent to the homes of the new councilors to collect them and then they will be taken to Bangabhaban for the swearing-in ceremony, sources said.

Currently, the government, which is in its fourth month, led by Chief Advisor Prof. Muhammad Yunus, has 21 advisors, including Yunus. Most advisors currently have responsibilities for multiple ministries.

Currently, three advisors are responsible for three ministries each, while 10 advisors each oversee two ministries.

The caretaker government took charge on August 8, three days after the Awami League government was toppled in a massive nationwide student-led uprising.