Yunus expands interim Bangladesh government by inducting four more advisers
The new advisers are Wahiduddin Mahmud, an economist, Ali Imam Majumdar, former cabinet secretary, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, former power secretary, and Lt Gen Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus (PTI)
DHAKA: The interim government in Bangladesh led by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus was expanded on Friday with four more advisers joining his team of civil society figures, academics, NGOs and rights group leaders.
The new advisers are Wahiduddin Mahmud, an economist, Ali Imam Majumdar, former cabinet secretary, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, former power secretary, and Lt Gen Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
With these four, the strength of the members – all equivalent to ministers – in the interim government's advisory council rose to 21.
Nobel Laureate Yunus and 13 other advisers were sworn in on August 8, four days after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government last week amid an uprising over government job quota reforms. Two advisers were sworn in on August 11 and one a day after.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oaths to the four new advisers at Bangabhaban, the seat of the government, a presidential palace spokesman told PTI.
They were sworn in a simple ceremony joined by the council of advisers and officials concerned, he said and added, Yunus is expected to allot their portfolios later.
Wahiduddin Mahmud, former professor of premier Dhaka University, was an adviser to the 1996 caretaker government; Majumdar was appointed as special assistant to this interim government's chief adviser on August 12; while Chowdhury is former director general of Border Guard, Bangladesh.
Hasina had resigned and secretly left for India on August 5 in the face of the massive mass upsurge originating from a students’ movement over the quota system for government jobs, marking the end of her Awami League regime since December 2008.
Most of the advisers are civil society figures, academics, NGOs and rights group leaders.
Globally recognised as ‘The Father of Microfinance,’ Yunus, 84, was declared as the head of the interim government by President Mohammed Shahabuddin after dissolving Parliament, a decision prompted by a demand by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.