Who runs the show Ministers or advisors?
While the ministers are ostensibly in charge of running the government, the advisors seem to have the upper hand
by ANWAR PARVEZ HALIM
Governments in the past have invariably had a kitchen cabinet, a sort of government within the government. This time round, it is being said that the coterie of Prime Minister's advisors have formed this alternative cabinet which perhaps wields more clout than the actual one. After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself, these advisors are the most powerful persons at the helm.
The PM attaches much importance to her advisors. She consults them on various vital matters. They have considerable influence on her too. Other than four or five members of the cabinet, the rest are given much less importance than the advisors. In fact, there are many instances when the decisions of the ministers are not carried out due to the advisors.
The ministers are not happy with the situation, but are helpless. They just have to accept the exalted position of the advisors in silence as they have the blessings of the PM. With these two groups existing within the government, much work is held up due to lack of coordination. Files are moving at a snail's pace within the administration. Eighteen months have passed since the government took over power, but not many of its commitments of public interest are being implemented. There is no improvement in the power, prices, traffic congestion and the law and order situation. Several matters of national interest also remain pending. These include oil, gas and coal, the maritime boundary and other unresolved issues. The advisors give their recommendations to the PM on these issues while the ministers remain in the dark. But when it comes to bearing the brunt and taking the blame, it all falls on the shoulders of the political ministers. It is said that the advisors have been obliged to intervene due to the inefficiency and inexperience of the ministers. The advisors remain above censure.
Seven advisors with minister status
Sheikh Hasina has seven advisors – HT Imam, Dr. Mashiur Rahman, Dr. Taufique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Dr. Modasser Ali, Dr. Alauddin Ahmed, Dr. Gowhar Rizvi and Tareque Ahmed Siddique.
The first three of these are experienced bureaucrats and have had successful careers. Then Dr. Modasser Ali was Sheikh Hasina's personal physician. Tareque Ahmed Siddique is a relation of Sheikh Hasina.
There is no constitutional post of Prime Minister's Advisor, but these advisors all enjoy the rank and status of full ministers. While the ministers' offices are in the secretariat, the advisors have their offices in the Prime Minister's Office complex. The ministers cannot call upon the PM at will and have to make appointments in advance to meet her. But as the advisors are in the same building, they get to meet her much easily. They can consult her on various issues at any time. As a result, they have drawn close to her, while the ministers remain at a distance. This is one of the reasons behind their power, observers say.
The only ministers over whom the advisors have less influence are Finance Minister Muhit, Agriculture Minister Motia Chowdhury, Commerce Minister Col. Faruk Khan, Food Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak and Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni and education minister Nurul Islam Nahid. These ministers have a free hand in running their respective ministries.
Outside of these ministers, the hands of the other cabinet members remain tied. These novices in the cabinet dare not provoke the anger of the advisors. They have to swallow and digest whatever the advisors mete out, whether they approve or not. So despite being politicians, MPs and ministers, they really cannot enjoy any freedom of their position. They wield no power.
The power of the advisors is so much so that Sheikh Hasina is unable to include the veterans Razzak, Amu, Tofail and Suranjit into the cabinet. If they are inducted into the cabinet, the advisors will lose their prominence. That is why they are vehemently opposed to the inclusion of these tried and tested leaders.
HT Imam's unlimited powers
Much of the credit of the mahajote (grand alliance)'s resounding success in the election goes to HT Imam. From his own home, this veteran bureaucrat did the exhaustive groundwork to ensure Awami League's election victory. He was assisted in this task by his son Tanim Imam and certain powerful agencies. HT Imam was the head of Awami League's election cell. He was in charge of selecting candidates, nomination, campaigns and more. With the landslide victory of her party, naturally Sheikh Hasina looked upon HT Imam with extra favour. He was appointed as her Advisor for Administrative Affairs.
HT Imam is in full control of the civil administration. He plays a pivotal role in the appointments, transfers, promotions and punishment of the government service officials. He oversees work on ascertaining the party affiliations of the bureaucrats, listing them, determining who is to be made OSD and so on. It is said that in placing his own preferred people in choice posts of the administration, HT Imam has deprived not only pro-BNP and Jamaat officers, but even many pro-Awami League officers too. That is why a section within Awami League is unhappy with him.
HT Imam is said to control the banking sector too when it comes to promotions, transfers and even issuance of loans.
There are rumours that HT Imam's son Tanim Imam has an indirect hand in appointments and transfers and other affairs of the administration as well as in the government's important project-based activities. It is said that HT Imam has installed his set-up so skillfully in the administration, that they are reluctant to listen to the ministers' directives. The ministers orders are not carried out and decisions are taken without consulting the ministers. The ministers have simply given up.
The administration was stagnant at the outset of the present government's term and the stagnancy hasn't cleared fully. Sheikh Hasina often takes the ministers to task for the slow pace of work and directs them to speed things up, but even so things don't happen. Those in the secretariat are well aware of where the problem lies.
Last year HT Imam got embroiled in a debate with Suranjit Sengupta, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Law. HT Imam had to back down from Suranjit's powerful protests.
HT Imam was also criticised for dabbling in affairs of the Law Ministry without consulting the Minister or the State Minister. This all appeared in the media. HT Imam took a stand in favour of a certain official outside of the civil administration. This person was of the BNP camp. The concerned advisor was against this promotion, but his objections fell flat. That advisor is no longer on good terms with HT Imam.
Then last year also Sheikh Selim, at a certain meeting, accused HT Imam of being involved in the killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury
Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bir Bikram, was appointed in January 2009 as Sheikh Hasina's Energy Advisor. He is not on good terms with the State Minister for Energy nor with the concerned senior officials. When the daily Amar Desh brought out a report accusing him of various conspiracies and corruption, the source of the news was within the ministry itself.
A year and a half has passed since this government assumed power, but this Advisor has brought in no good news for the Energy Sector so far. Permission is being given in quick succession for rental power units, but the people's sufferings haven't abated in the least. The Energy Advisor cannot give any specific date for when fresh power production will start.
Whether it is decisions on tenders for permanent power plants, leasing the offshore blocks or deciding on Phulbari coal mine, the advisor had left everything unclear. The ministry itself is in the dark.
The ministers and advisors of the Energy Sector in the past were not above controversy. Dr. Taufiq-e-Elahi enjoyed the same position in the last government of Sheikh Hasina. When the caretaker government came to power, two cases were filed against him and he was sent to jail.
Foreign countries and companies, including India, are actively interested in Bangladesh oil, gas, coal and power sector. Critics ask whether he is looking after national or outside interests in these sensitive sectors. But Sheikh Hasina has immense confidence and trust in this freedom fighter advisor.
Dr. Mashiur Rahman
The Prime Minister's Financial Affairs Advisor Dr. Mashiur Rahman is an extremely cool-headed man. He has a sound reputation for his efficient work. One does not hear rumours, criticism or dubious reports about him. He does forcibly impose himself on the Finance Ministry. He enjoys a good rapport with the Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit. He had considerable influence on the PM. He accompanied Sheikh Hasina on her visit to India and was present when the deals were signed between the two countries. In fact, the role of the Finance Minister and the Foreign Minister in this regard was quite overshadowed by this advisor. The charisma and influence of these bureaucrat advisors comes to the forefront.
Critics see Dr. Mashiur Rahman as extremely pro-Indian. Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain has leant strongly towards China regarding the various construction. India is not pleased with this. To balance this, it is said, the Prime Minister has directed that Dr. Mashiur Rahman be attached to the Padma Bridge too.
Dr. Modasser Ali
Dr. Modasser Ali, Advisor for Health, Family Welfare and Social Welfare, is Sheikh Hasina's personal physician. After the 1/11 takeover by the caretaker government, he would often visit Sheikh Hasina in detention and carry out treatment of her ear ailments. He had insisted that the government send Sheikh Hasina abroad for treatment of her ear. While the rest of the Awami League leaders remained in a dilemma, Dr. Modasser was bold in his stand while speaking to the press. He is close to Sheikh Hasina's family too. He is thus in an influential position.
However, Health Minister Ruhul Huq is no less powerful. He has a strong personality. As a result, the minister and the advisor do not see eye to eye. The minister is not one to take any orders from an advisor and the ministry often faces complications in this regard. There are all sorts of rumours in the ministry of unwarranted interference when it comes to transfers, appointments and promotions of the government doctors.
Dr. Gowhar Rizvi
Before his appointment as the PM's Advisor for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Gowhar Rizvi was the Director of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's John F Kennedy School of Government. The PM's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy graduated from the same institution. Rizvi is on good terms with Joy.
This advisor is extremely qualified in building relations with foreign countries. He has close ties with India too. He was the Ford Foundation representative in New Delhi from 1998 to 2003.
Sources within the government say that the is playing a strong and singular role in diplomacy with foreign powers, building bilateral relations and strengthening ties. Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni may be new and but the Advisor has cordial relations with her. The PM has warm regard for both of them.
Ambassador-at-large Ziauddin Tito, brother-in-law of Ambassador Zamir, was Hasina's classmate. He is also the friend of Dr. Dipu Moni's husband, both studying together at Notre Dame College. The camaraderie and family relationships within this group has made things easier for Dr. Dipu Moni as Foreign Minister.
Among the cabinet members, Dr. Dipu Moni is a great favourite of India. However, questions remain as to how far she has upheld Bangladesh successfully to the world during her one and a half year tenure so far.
Dr. Alauddin Ahmed
Dr. Alauddin Ahmed strived hard before the elections to ensure AL's success. In recognition of this contribution, the PM made him Advisor for Education, Social Development and Political Affairs.
So far he has not been able to perform well and has even been criticised from within the party. The party MPs and ministers castigated Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid over the MPO list for educational institutions. The PM directed the advisor to draw up a fresh list. His list was even more controversial and gave rise to a fresh set of speculations and rumours within Awami League.
The Education Minister is known to be an honest and upright individual. But as he was originally a left leader, many within the party cannot quite accept him as one of their own. That is why when he drew up a fair and good list for the MPO enrollment, they complained to the PM against him. He was humiliated. Then there is the pressure from the advisor. It is heard that the advisor wield his power in the appointments, transfer and promotions of teachers all over the country.
Neither the Minister nor the Advisor has been able to play any effective role in controlling the violence and unrest spread by Chhatra League in campuses all over the country. Both of them remain silent on this head. Questions are raised whether they voluntarily remain mum or whether there is anything else behind this silence.
What is clear, is the sharp difference between the Minister and the Advisor of the Ministry. Everyone is also aware of the power tussle between the Education Advisor and the LGED Minister Syed Ashraful Islam. Both of them are from Kishoreganj.
Tareque Ahmed Siddique
During the rule of the four-party alliance, Maj. Gen. Tareque Ahmed Siddique (retd) was given forced retirement. From then on he was in charge of the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina's security. He is the brother-in-law of Sheikh Rehana. President Zillur Rahman is his uncle. It is only natural to regard Tareque Siddique as a very powerful man. It is not just his family ties, but the fact that he looked after security affairs with extreme efficiency that has won him a position of considerable power and influence.
His role in bringing the BDR uprising under control is also commendable. He is in charge of coordinating the intelligence agencies too. His influence in defence circles is talked about, but nothing is said of his influence in the civil administration. He is in the good books of the PM.
Commentators say that the PM alone cannot materialise her dreams of change. Her ministers may be young and inexperienced, but their identity is that they are Awami Leaguers. Their failure falls upon the PM's shoulders. Yet the advisors are holding the ministers back from performing. The distance between the ministers and the advisors is steadily growing, sometimes invisibly and sometimes very visibly. If the vision of change is to be materialised, this conflict has to be resolved. The Prime Minister has to take initiative in this regard and take initiative now.
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