Who were caretaker advisors?

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka, Oct 22:  Rejecting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s all-party interim government proposal, opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Monday offered another alternative polls-time government formula for the upcoming national election.

According to the proposed formula, Khaleda said, the ruling party should propose 5 names and the opposition will also propose 5 names from the 20 advisers of 1996 and 2001 caretaker governments to form a neutral poll-time government for the upcoming election.

She also suggested an honest, reputed and acceptable person as the chief of the 10-member polls time government.

 

The idea of a caretaker government oversight for general election was first conceived by the Awami League in 1996. The then ruling BNP was eventually forced to introduce the caretaker system through the 13 Amendment to the Constitution.

Former Chief Justice Habibur Rahman was the first Chief Advisor of the first Caretaker government.

 

His advisors were constitutional expert Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, educationist Prof Shamsul Hoque, former central bank Governor Shegufta Bakht Chaudhuri, former civil servant AZM Nasiruddin, military doctor Maj Gen (Retd) Abdur Rahman Khan, economist Wahiduddin Mahmud, businessman Syed Manjur Elahi, academics Prof Nazma Chowdhury and Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury.

Former Chief Justice Latifur Rahman headed the caretaker government that conducted the 2001 election. His advisors were Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed, Justice Bimolendu Bikash Chowdhury, former Inspector General of Police SM Shahajahan, businessman Syed Manjur Elahi, former civil servant Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, AKM Amanul Islam Chowdhury, former Comptroller and Auditor General M Hafizuddin Khan, former military doctor Brig Gen (Retd) Abdul Malek, army cardiologist Maj Gen (Retd) Moinul Hossain Chowdhury and businesswoman Rokia Afzal Rahman.

risingbd/MAM