Dhaka, Feb. 17 -- Several senior figures of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have been left out of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's newly formed cabinet, in a move that has surprised party insiders and prompted speculation about a recalibration of power within the ruling party.

The 49-strong cabinet, announced following the BNP's return to office, does not include a number of veteran leaders who were widely tipped for ministerial posts after days of intense conjecture in political circles and on social media.

Among the notable omissions are BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas and Gayeswar Chandra Roy, alongside several vice chairmen and members of the party's advisory board.

Many of those excluded previously served in the c...