Poor performance, controversy apparent reasons; new advisers likely to take oath today
Proving the recent speculations right, four advisers to the caretaker government resigned yesterday with only three days to go before the military-backed administration completes a year in office.
Law Adviser Mainul Hosein, Food Adviser Tapan Chowdhury, Health Adviser Major General (retd) ASM Matiur Rahman and Industry Adviser Geeteara Safiya Choudhury stood down on advice of Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, said sources.
Mainul and Tapan said they quit as that's what the government had wanted. They met the chief adviser and tendered their resignation in the afternoon.
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters that the four had resigned for personal reasons. He said the Chief Adviser's Office sent the resignation letters to the Bangabhaban yesterday.
The number of advisers leaving apparently for poor performance and controversy now stands at five, almost half the advisory council that took office on January 12 last year.
Earlier on December 26, Ayub Quadri resigned his position as the education and cultural affairs adviser following a huge public outcry over theft of two artefacts.
Replacements for the five are to be sworn in today at the Bangabhaban, the chief adviser's press secretary said.
Meanwhile, the government policymakers were searching for persons to fill the vacancies and continue for the remaining months of the present regime that is supposed to hand over power to an elected government by December this year.
Sources said Mainul who was to attend a function marking the Police Week-2007 yesterday was sent messages asking him to show up at the Chief Adviser's Office. There, he was told that the government wanted him to quit along with three others.
Queried about the news of his resignation at around four in the evening, Major General (retd) Matiur Rahman said he had not resigned and requested the reporters not to ask him 'embarrassing' questions.
But later, coming out of his office at the secretariat at around 5:15pm, the former military physician told the waiting newsmen: "What you have seen on television is true. Power does not last forever."
Meanwhile, an unsigned statement of Ittefaq Group of Publications Ltd last night quoted Mainul as saying, "Whether I'm part of the caretaker government or not, my dedication to the noble cause of establishing democracy will remain the same."
After the non-partisan caretaker government system was introduced in 1996, this is the second instance of advisers leaving their office en bloc.
The incumbent administration came after the one headed by President Iajuddin Ahmed had failed to create an atmosphere conducive to holding the ninth parliamentary election as per the constitutional provisions.
Amid growing political violence and public displeasure, Iajuddin stepped down as the chief adviser and dissolved the advisory council on January 11 last year, declaring the state of emergency and cancelling the ninth parliamentary polls scheduled for January 22.
Immediately after coming to power, the present government launched a crackdown on ''corrupt political bigwigs and businessmen". Its anti-graft drives were greeted with popular acclamation but some of the measures led to panic among the business community.
Its failure to contain soaring prices of essentials put a dent in the public support it has been enjoying. Some of the advisers soon appeared to be a lightning rod for controversy and it did not help things either.
People's frustration over the interim regime became obvious after the recent crisis of food grains.
It has been widely speculated in the past few days that the council of advisers might be reshuffled at any moment.
Sources close to the policymakers said Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed might address the nation on January 12. In his speech, he would seek to assure the people that his government is committed to mitigating their sufferings and achieving the goal to have a free and fair election held by this year.
Resignations of the advisers would help him avoid his words being perceived as empty rhetoric, added the sources.
Analysts and politicians, however, observed that it would still be difficult for the government to improve the overall situation.
Faced with the task of running the country for around two years, the caretaker government had tried before to expand the council but failed for what was described as constitutional obligation not to have more than 11 advisers including the chief adviser.
The policymakers are now considering appointing assistants to the advisers to reduce the burden of task ahead, sources said.
The first time the caretaker government saw resignation of its advisers was in December last year when four advisers--Akbar Ali Khan, Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowhdury, Sultana Kamal and CM Shafi Sami--stepped aside protesting the then chief adviser's role perpetuating the political bickering.
None of the caretaker governments formed in 1996 and 2001 had to reshuffle its cabinet, and they successfully discharged their duties by extending all-out support to the Election Commission for holding the parliamentary polls within the stipulated timeframe.
But the current government, which came at the end of the constitutionally specified time limit for holding the polls since dissolution of the eighth parliament, began its journey with tenure not set.
Fakhruddin Ahmed was sworn in as the chief adviser on January 12 while his advisers later. Mainul, Geeteara and Tapan took oath of office on January 13 and Matiur on January 16.
In an address to the nation, Fakhruddin declared that the government would have a credible national election held by December 2008.