Mon 30 Oct 2006
So who will be the other 10 advisors? Asking for “guesses” here. Not disclose inside info.
I don’t have much to say myself – just wanted to open the thread so you all can chime in.. 
Dr Yunus will probably make everybody’s wish-list. But may be disqualified if he emerges with his own party.
October 30th, 2006 at 9:40 am
With all due respect to all political views here, the list of advisors for the caretaker government was pre-planned by the party of the two-thirds majority who elected the President of the Republic, who is now the head of the CTG.
Once again it is the fortunate prerogative of the first movers receiving the two-thirds majority in the previous polls.
There are no big surprises this time but the list is strictly and highly classified. But it was made not to make AL unhappy but at the same time to serve the purpose of BNP no less than 100 percent. We wish AL every happiness and Good Luck in the forthcoming polls. If AL is happy, BNP is happy to see a happy opponent and that will make Bangladesh happy all the more. We are in the business of making the People of Bangladesh happy
Best,
~ Chowdhury Irad Ahmed Siddiky.
http://home.att.net/~csiddiky/index.html
In Reply to:
“So who will be the other 10 advisors?
I don’t have much on this myself – just wanted to open the thread so you all can chime in..”
October 30th, 2006 at 9:44 am
CIA Siddiky,
I didn’t mean that there was going to be an election process…I was just curious about people’s own choices…
Kind of like venting out…in a “If I had a say in this…” kind of way.
October 30th, 2006 at 9:47 am
Lt. Gen (Retd) Masud – former army chief
Yasmin Morshed
Mir Nasir (president -FBCCI))
Mahmud ( President International Chamber)
Gitiara (Adcom)
Dr. Atiar Rahman
Sufibaba!
cheers
October 30th, 2006 at 10:29 am
Dear concerned Bangladeshi - It was inhuman of what happened this weekend and with the blessing of satellite TV, we are able to see it within minutes. It’s just not AL but any current mainstream party in Bangladesh would do the same thing to be in power. We can’t outright outlaw the parties and cripple the country but we can hope for change and new blood entering the bloodstream of Bangladesh politics whether that be a creation of Dr. Yunus or other likeminded.
[The comment by concerened-bangladesh-from-usa that Rehan is refering to has been removed because of the following reasons:
1) it had nothing to do with the subject of the thread – name your advisor of choice. More appropriate thread would be http://www.drishtipat.org/blog/2006/10/28/k-m-hassan-regretted/
2) the e-mail address could not be verified. We want to remind posters that a valid email address is required for your posts, which will not be accessible to the viewers. You can assume any alias you want.
Thanks
DP-blog admins]
October 30th, 2006 at 10:47 am
HUH???!!!
CIAS said, Another lost agenda was to set up a cultural commission (like Hasina’s Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee) to explore on the possibility of finding a suitable Nazrul Giti to replace our national anthem.
What’s wrong with “amar shonar bangla”?? That it was written by a Hindu?
By the way, Is it true that you ran for the Gazipur-2 seat in 2004 after Ahsanullah Master from Tongi was gunned down in 2004 creating a vacuum for the MP post?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:02 am
I want to see
Abdullah Abu Sayeed
Debpriyo
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal
Dr. Yunus
Fazle Abed
October 30th, 2006 at 11:19 am
Fazley Hasan Abed (BRAC)
Dr. Mohammad Yunus (Grameen)
October 30th, 2006 at 11:29 am
Please don’t recommend any name before Hasina and Khaleda recommend some ones. They have been waiting for another clue to start another movement; Hell!
October 30th, 2006 at 11:38 am
Retd. Left MAshud (former army chief)
Dr. Fakruddin Ahmed (Former Governor Bangladesh Bank)
Dr. Ali Murtaza ( Ex VC-BUET)
Abdullah Abu Sayeed
Mir Nasir ( president FBCCI)
Ataus Samad( journalist)
October 30th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Dr. Yunus’s name should on the top of the list….I am not sure about Mr. Debproyo. After all he worked hard through his organization to categorize Bangladesh as world most corrupt country last few years. Unless if you think that qualifies him for the job.
Here is my list. -
Dr. Yunus
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal
Mir Nasir (FBCCI)
Fazle Abed
Dr. Kamal
Abdullah Abu Sayeed
October 30th, 2006 at 11:42 am
btw, what does an advisor do?
who were in previous caretaker governments, and how did they perfom?
October 30th, 2006 at 11:45 am
Also, as the 11th member (the joker), I want to propose Shafiq Rehman for ministry of comic relief.
October 30th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Asif
Good one..Shafiq Rehman, Ministry of comic relief!
Cheers
October 30th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
1. Asif Saleh ( Home/Foreign)
2. Muhit Rahman ( Commerce/Finance)
3. Naeem Mahaimen ( Khaddo, Bostro, Bon, Poshu)
4. Zafa Noor ( Gono-Purto, Poribesh, Housing, Urban developement, LGRD)
5. Zubaer ( Education, Planning)
6. Rehan Syed ( Information/Science technology/Religion)
Need four More, Resumes are being accepted now.
[ Believe me, NOT a joke, Bangladesh will change forever]
For better or
for worse. [ The worse part is a joke]
October 30th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
…LOL….
…why not add another to the list….
7. Rumi Ahmed (Gono shastho)
October 30th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Dr M Zahir is fine man to be included in the list of advisers.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
1. Dr Yunus simply does not have the time to remain busy in Bangladesh for the next three months.
2. Debapriyo Bhattacharya along with his CPD has publicly stood against the major politicians in their quest for honest candidate. I don’t know how does he resonate with the main political parties. However if Debapriyo is disqualified then most of the shushil shomaj will be disqualified in the same reasoning. Thog bachhte ga ujar hobe.
3. Dr Muhammad jafar Iqbal, clearly, boldly, decidedly, openly took a stand against jamaat shibir. SOme may not deem him a neutral arbritar dealing with election/jamaat etc.
3. Similarly Dr Kamal falls in the same category.
4. Shafik Rehman, Rumi Ahmed etc. carry foreign citizenship. So they can’t be. :).
October 30th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
I would certainly encourage all of you on Rumi’s list to aspire to the CTG advisorial positions. As a matter of fact, this is the only available non-political opportunity of running the state-craft for all concerned Bangladeshi nationals to serve their nation as neutral stewards and stewardresses.
My personal list (not the list of my party) if I made one today, would include the following:
(1) Mohammad Yunus.
(2) Debapriya Bhattacharya (CPD)
(3) Khaled Shams (MD Grameen)
(4) Taslima Nasrin
(5) Mahfuz Anam.
(6) Dr. Shamsher Ali
(7) Nashid Kamal Waez.
(8) Dr.Sanjeeda Khatun.
(9) Kalim Sharafi
(10) Kari Mohammad Belali
I think this should make our brothers and sisters in AL happy. If AL is happy, BNP is happy. BNP is in the business of making everyone in our country prosperous and happy.
Best,
~Irad.
Rumi Says:
October 30th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
1. Asif Saleh ( Home/Foreign)
2. Muhit Rahman ( Commerce/Finance)
3. Naeem Mahaimen ( Khaddo, Bostro, Bon, Poshu)
4. Zafa Noor ( Gono-Purto, Poribesh, Housing, Urban developement, LGRD)
5. Zubaer ( Education, Planning)
6. Rehan Syed ( Information/Science technology/Religion)
Need four More, Resumes are being accepted now.
[ Believe me, NOT a joke, Bangladesh will change forever]
For better or for worse. [ The worse part is a joke]
October 30th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
Guys we are missing more here so just tag along to Rumi Bhai’s forte in the previous comments -
Rumi Ahmed (Gono Shashto, Manobadhikar, Overall strategy and co to IA incase something happens considering his recent health records and his mature age of 72)
October 30th, 2006 at 12:40 pm
lol @ the drishtipat list.
I would not mind the rest, but Taslima Nasrin and Nashid Kamal are not CTG material, (I’m sorry for differing, but that’s just my personal opinion).
Also, I personally would not want to see Debopriya running the country in any way, for however long, in whatever capacity. In the last few years he has done enough to highlight out weaknesses. May be Dr.Mozaffer Ahmed even, but not Debopriya.
I would prefer Dr.Yunus over Mr.Abed. BRAC is the country’s biggest employer that has over 30,000 people working for them. He may easily loose focus.
Khalid Shams of course is a good candidate, but i’m sure he would decline.
Mrs.Yasmeen Murshed, despite her allegiance to BNP is a good choice. And I think they should put her in charge of both Finance and Planning, and the Home Ministry. From experience, i can vouch for her efficiency and effectiveness in minding money matters and ensuring law and order.
If truth be told, I would not mind seeing the Drishtipat list to be the actual CTG advisers. Just might work!
October 30th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
From the Jatiya Party list I heard
1. Dr. Zafrullah
2. Md Shahjahan (a businessman and ex-BTMA president)
3. Maj Gen Atique (Army Chief during Ershad’s time)
From BNP list
1. Yasmeen Murshed
2. Barrister Moinul Hossain
3. The last Army chief Hasan Masud
4. Osmany (ex foreign sec)
My dream team would include
1. Yasmeen Murshed (Scholastica / Education)
2. Fakruddin Ahmed (ex Bangladesh Bank Governer)
3. Angela Gomez (Bachtay Shikha)
4. Muhit Choudhury (ex adviser, ex Secretary & ED of BRAC)
5. Rokia Afzal Rahman (ex adviser/ President WEA)
6. Manzoor Hassan (ex Transperancy Int’l now BRAC)
7. Mahbubur Rahman (Int’l Chamber of Commerce)
8. Wahiduddin Mahmud (Economist)
9. Justice Mahmudul Amin Choudhury (wouldn’t that be an irony)
10. Motiur Rahman of Prothom Alo
By the way the number does not HAVE to be 10. It says “up to 10.”
October 30th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Fugstar, the advisers advises the chief of CG. (the same way PM’s cabinet advises the PM). The major criteria is their non-partisanship. The selection process is complicated – our resident expert Farhan can shed light on it.
CIA Siddiky, how could Taslima Nasrin top Mahfuz Anam? TN ke advisor banale Jamati dol “rokto gongga boiye debe…”
October 30th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
4. Muhit Choudhury (ex adviser, ex Secretary & ED of BRAC)
5. Rokia Afzal Rahman (ex adviser/ President WEA)
would not mind seeing them back otherwise, but I would be very very skeptical about anybody related to BRAC right now.
8. Wahiduddin Mahmud (Economist)
better choice than Fakhruddin.
October 30th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Reply to Zafa’s Question: Indeed. Good guess.
That is my seat in the Elections
Just about to be official next month. Please feel free to communicate your concerns to me for our party and our country.
We are here to serve you 24hrs/7days a week
Best,
~Irad
http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/07/05/d40705011818.htm
Zafa Says:
October 30th, 2006 at 10:47 am
By the way, Is it true that you ran for the Gazipur-2 seat in 2004 after Ahsanullah Master from Tongi was gunned down in 2004 creating a vacuum for the MP post?
October 30th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
Taslima?? Hahaha! She turned into a parody of herself a long time ago. Way past her sell-by date, now she is mainly interested in pissing on Bangladesh in international forums to get shosta publicity for her “message”, which too has gotten very old, very skewed, very biased - so much so that few people are even tuning in any more. Not even in bidesh.
Yes, we get it now, Tas - you hate Islam and nothing would please you more than that the entire country should abandon their religion. Ain’t gonna happen, darlin’. You gotta find some other way to get your truths across. Peace, sister.
October 30th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Well Fariha… my list unfortunately is a bit BRAC heavy
4. Muhit Choudhury (ED)
5. Rokia Afzal Rahman (Board of Dirctor)
6. Manzoor Hassan (Head of Government Study at BRAC Univ)
My list would have also included:
* Fazle Hassan Abed
* Jamilur Rahman Choudhury
but didn’t want the list 50% BRAC!
October 30th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
I wish I could make all the bloggers here the advisors than the things have better chance to
work in Bangladesh.
The two parties playing their game and here we are left with speculation. I don’t find any non-partisan person on the soil of Bangladesh where from the day you are borned you injected with lable AWL or BNP. The people of Bangladesh need to to grow and think out side the box.
All the names mentioned here doesn’t smell fishy? Doesn’t smell Opportunist group who alinged with all the parties for their own interest in the past?
Who the hell is clean in Bangladesh where the blood itself are rotten to its bottom core.
Rather speculating who will be the next 10 advisors we should design and write our manifesto’s for what they should do? how they should direct the office,how they should bring nuetrality to the election system and demand that.
We Bangladeshi love to speculate and guess and when we hit the jack pot we get our shoulders high ( Arey Ami tho agaie bolechilam tai holah ja ami bholey chilam). Such a respected educated thread of NRB should raise a voice so the people in Bangladesh can hear not just only do blogging and keep the discussion in between few.
thanks
Kawser Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
October 30th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Of course they advise, but so does every tom dick and jojo. What effect do they have other than give onlookers a little confidence and make 10 temporary vacancies in highpowered posts elsewhere?
I will assume that the people have to be bangladesh, and we cant just get PWC or Mckinsey.
so….It seems like a division of labour and a talent matching issue, i am looking forward to learning about the profs brain through this. I hope he isnt too affected by awami and bnp parochialisms and superficial development speak. He should have got to know a lot of decent people by now.
I dont think the ngo meisters are built for purpose (premadonna + antipolitics machine issue), best to get the best from their respected fields methinks.
I hope he goes for relatively obscure people, who have great calibre but who haven’t lowered dignity by playing the foreign donor/loan game.
Relatively obscure people, who have chosen not to sellout their beliefs for fame and development dollars, or if they have at least they have accomplished something of the level of paolo freire or akhtar hameed khan in quiet obscurity.
so obscure and under the radar that they will be unknown to the ‘in the know’, ‘went EM to school with’ crowd, and a genuine welcome suprise for the technocrats they will be whipping, charming and enthusing into shape.
Husyn Haidar - anti corruption
LGED should be given to pr Nurul Islam (institute of appropriate technology, buet) 4eva
A thoroughly decent all singing all dancing Alim and modern scholar who knows his stuff(of which we have many) for religion and civics.
welfare - the chap from dhaka ahsania mission.
I wouldnt want to give any power to the usual suspects, but then again i didnt have the good fortune of being born and nurtured in bangladesh.
This is based on the assumption that these 3 months could be a time where there is come innovation that could trigger a better bangladesh. Less likely to dissappear under the waves of the ocean, vice and environmentaldevelopment dollars.
Maybe he could select an A-Team of people who were such a suprise that ‘duyota gooer peet’ would be thoroughly confused, spontaneosly combust and leave the field free to a more refined and relevent configuration of political forces.
October 30th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
KJ, any plan on running election this year? I love your Paltan speech. Mornings seem empty without reading your bhashon.
Dude, why don’t you come with us concrete ideas
rather than “bokafying” us all the time like this? You need to realise that you can’t do active bd politics from abroad.
The most important thing is to figure out where NRBs can add value. I believe Naeem had some very good ideas about this a
a few days ago and by now you are well aware how the drishtipat members are getting involved. The main reason your
initiative changebangladesh not getting momentum is because there is no active program yet. Once you do it, I am sure you
will get a lot of people behind you.
October 30th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
No Asif bhai no plan to run for election but yes will openly campaign for the competant candidate no matter which party they belong too.
I at the same time respect all of you but I would rather respect some actions than email and blog that all I said.
Thanks for your concern and advice on ChangeBangladesh. Yes we are taking some initiative for election 2007 and ask you all to give some feed back and ideas. Like you said this is a total war no one organization or person can fight we all have to fight together. I will look for the posting and blogs here and with Nayeem if you guys have any good things in plan I will love to work with you I hope
I am not dishearten I know the change that we like to see in Bangladesh it will take time and lot of dedicated work from honest and passionate patriots of the country.So I am building my team slowly and slowly.We will achieve our goal slowly.
thanks
Kawser Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
Asif bhai can you tell me in all this last few days so many people died and properties and car being destroyed did any organization protest? here in USA or in BD? no.
We need to raise our voice.
October 30th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
This are some role models I had included in two essays:
1. “Wounded Nation, Still Dreamer”
http://deepquote.net/b3k4y1g8qukx
2. “Young Turks on Dark Side of Moon”
http://deepquote.net/w3k4q1c9jtop
October 30th, 2006 at 6:42 pm
From Daily Star (:
1. AL wants 24 hours to give 10 names.
2. BNP gave 10 names immediately after oath-taking ceremony, but they will “finalize” list.
3. Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) proposed 3 names
4. Jamaat-e-Islami proposed “several” names (refused to disclose #).
And, as per DS speculation:
“Eminent journalist Ataus Samad, Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, human rights activist Sultana Kamal, Barrister Mainul Hosein, former secretary MM Sawkat Ali, Maj Gen (retd) Moinul Hossain Chowudhry, banker Ibrahim Khaled, Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashud Chowdhury, Air Vice-marshal (retd) FM Jamal Uddin, Yasmeen Murshid, Prof Razia Banu, and Barrister Shafiq Ahmed’s names among others’ are being discussed widely for the posts of advisers.”
[http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/10/31/d6103101087.htm]
BNP and AL are both trying to figure out who is on other side’s list. Hence AL needing “24 hours” (on this crucial issue, they don’t have a list ready?) and BNP reserving right to “finalize” their own list. Key agenda will be to maximize discrepancy between lists so that final list announced by Ija can be used to prove “amader i jeeth” or “amader kono naam i grohon kora hoi nai, ey election hobe na.”
While BNP and AL fight, JP and Jamaat quietly gain strength. Witness unthinkable rehabilitation of Ershad.
The one that worries me most is Jamaat. They are slowly but steadily (and quietly) building infrastructure. They know they will not win this election, and if BNP goes down they will try to unhitch their horse and contest on their own. But over last 15 years they have quietly made inroads into Civil Service, Banks, NGOs, Pilots Union, Army, and every level if infrastructure.
Regardless of who wins, will any gov’t have the guts to cancel the BNP govt decision to give Qaumi Madrassa SSC/HSC status? Thousands of madrassa students will graduate and flood the civil service (for which they need HSC status). Out of my class of 100, I know one person working in govt sector (Sonali Bank) and NO ONE working in civil service. Maybe there are 1-2 that I don’t know about, but the educated middle class has completely deserted all sectors of govt’s in the last two decades. And gov’t unfortunately is where power still lies in many decisive matters.
Even the most powerful masters of the universe of commerce (ETV w/ a Citibank co-investment) or NGO giants (Proshikha, or even GB which has been refused urban expansion) can still find their path blocked by the gov’t. So gov’t does matter. I expect that if the Qaumi Madrassa decision stands in a new gov’t, in 10 years, civil service will have a large ratio of Madrassa educated staff. There is nothing wrong w/ Madrassa per se, but of course if we are worried about the possibility of an Islamist government that wants to bring “Allah’r Ain” (interpreted by Man of course), then we should look to innovations like the Madrasa certification and think of what other long-term ways Jamaat is setting down deep roots (Army recruitmentm bank employees, etc) while BNP-AL fight about the List of 10.
October 30th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
I think i can guess JI’s recommendations by looking for the islamic intelligencia in the published names.
Is it just me or do the subcultures of bangladesh live in different worlds, unlinked by human relationships, common institutions and national ethos?
As a youth with islamic bent of mind I do worry when you cast jamaat as an enemy within, a la UK media.
***** *********
Lets flip the script ont he bcs issue.
Madrassa educated people would be a blessing to the equation if its done right, morally more resilient, trained in ethics, motivated by more than material and fame, clear about their identity on earth, very grass rootsy.
**** ******** ********
wow look where a chat about prospective advisors has gone..
can the president reject all the names and do his own thing? how would you feel about that?
[Note: Portions of the original post have been deleted to discourage personal attacks and use of unacceptable language.
-- Dp blog admins]
October 30th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Anyway, are you people picking these names up to see your team win, or to really make the ground levelled?
Why discarding people like Devapriya or Zafar Iqbal, because they spilled out some bitter truth?
What about these guys?
01. Lt Gn [rtd] Moinul H Chowdhury
02. Mujibul Huq [Ex-secretary]
03. Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud
04. Dr. Zafar Igbal
05. Monjur e Elahi
06. Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul
07. Dr. Sultana Kamal
08. Dr. Zafarullah
09. Dr. Nurul Islam of IAT, BUET
10. Dr. Mozaffar Ahmed
October 30th, 2006 at 11:57 pm
CCG Iajuddin Ahmed spent the first official day on the job by sacking nine secretaries in an effort to shuffle the civil service (announced on TV)
The former secretaries are;
1) Agriculture Secretary Kazi Abdul Kashem,
Information Secretary Abdul Qayyum, former IGP.
2) Labour Secretary Sujauddin Ahmed,
3) Secretary at the PMO Khondoker Shahidul Islam,
4) Communications Secretary Shafiqul Islam,
5) President’s Secretary Akhtar Hossain Khan,
6) Works Secretary Iqbal Uddin Ahmed,
7) Inland Water Transport Secretary Rafiqul Islam
9) Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, principal secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office
October 31st, 2006 at 12:31 am
The shaky old gun shows it’s firepower. Now the q is about the accuracy. Were the dead duckies actually targeted or it’s just to give an impression of a Big Bang?
October 31st, 2006 at 12:45 am
Himu,
Yes. That is the q. We are all very doubtful about any move anybody makes.
That’s the casuality of the politics in BD. Can’t take anything for face value anymore. Always having our very own conspiracy theories.
Like you I also wondered “Is IA acting on his own impartial judgement, or doing a stringed puppet dance, where the end of the string lies in a place called bataash…or jhor…or something like that.”
But my first instinct is that his dicission is HIS OWN and IMPERTIAL. I’d been wrong before…
October 31st, 2006 at 12:51 am
Amen. Let’s hope that overnight he reinstalled some lagered up spines. And the puppetmasters’ phonecalls are turned down with a piece of “advise” to go and “entertain themselves off” somewhere else :).
October 31st, 2006 at 1:28 am
I think the President can hire all those Secretaries back as Advisors!
btw, do we hear about Mohammad Zamir, the ex-diplomat, as an Advisor or does he not have enoough cache? He has a tremendous amount of intellect and good sense, it would be nice for us as a nation to get past the same tired old names that litter the lists on this thread.
October 31st, 2006 at 1:32 am
IA is mobilizing the law enforcers too. bdnews24.com reports that the law enforcers raided houses of low-profile Awami League leaders and arrested more than 600 people with ties to the AL.
DMP Commissioner SM Mizanur Rahman said that the lawmen started the drive against listed and suspected criminals.
On the election front, the CCG Sunday asked Aziz to make all preparations for the election. Aziz hasn’t uttered a single word to the reporters. His last comments toward the reporters were “why asking me useless question…do you know journalism? learn hournalism first …”
October 31st, 2006 at 4:14 am
before i went to sleep last night i laughed a great deal at the news that our prof/pres had ordered the removal of ex pm khaleda’s portrait from offices… and its replacement with his own. What a dude.
anybody in the printing business?
The idea about his intentions? how would we ever know thes things?
i hope he can do something about land reclamation, much more important than the election methinks. gettign our engineers and society to have the skill and wherewithall to creat land in our eroding, subsiding delta.
October 31st, 2006 at 5:17 am
Mohammad Zamir is an excellent choice. As is his brother Mohammad Zahir. Unfortunately Zahir is seen to be close to AL and hence will be unacceptable.
How about Samson Choudhury of Square Group?
Or Mamunur Rashid (MD Citicorp) or Wali Bhuiya (MD of British Oxygen Bd) or Ata Safdar (MD of Reckit Benkizer Bd) the are all high calibre Bangladeshi managers of MNCs.
Another person I think would have been good is Mr. Aftabul Islam of AmCham. (Though I understand he might be too close to the AL)
October 31st, 2006 at 7:53 am
the only news available relating to the advisors is that the govt owned cars they will use for next 3 months are lined up in front of Bangabhaban.
Anybody knows any pseodo-confirm name yet?
The tentative time for swearing is 9pm (dhaka time) Oct 31, Tuesday.
October 31st, 2006 at 7:57 am
I was so surprised to see all the names mentioned here. It is probably a reflection of our mindset. How will you characterize the names that have been proposed here, ( Except Zafar Iqbal/Dr Yunus), they all fall in the following catagory,
1. All living in palacial houses in Gulshan, Banani, Dhanmondi
2. All big shot businessmen/women or retired top bureaucrat or top NGO officials.
My question, why can’t we think of
1. A very senior experience garments worker, pssibly residing in Shewrapara in Dhaka.
2. A retired honest, hardworking mid level government servant living in Khilgaon in Dhaka.
3. A young successful entrepreneur from Savar.
4. A successful farmer from chuadanga.
5. A retired line worker from one of the jute mills in Bangladesh.
6. A successful NRB, may be shop owner at jackson heights.
7. A retired school headmaster possibly from Khulna.
8. A young software exporter from Uttara, Dhaka.
9. A general practicing physician from Valuka, Mymenshing.
10. A building contractor from Barisal.
How many of us believe that they will not be able to deliver?
The elected ministry we usually get, are they any better?
Or on what logic I can tell that those Gulshanite, disconnected elite rich will be better rulers than those I mentioned?
Or they will become CTG advisors because simply they belong to the ruling class?
October 31st, 2006 at 8:16 am
Rumi: Excellent point! This is absolutely what democracy should mean. I would like to suggest the name of Amerul Islam, my Bangla Sir, who lives in Ashulia, Savar and works two jobs. One as a private tutor of rich brats like me in Gulshan, Baridhara, and Dhanmondi and the second as a the principal of a free school for the poor that he funds with his own earnings.
An interesting excercise we did in conjunction with Prothom Alo and NTV and sponsored by Surf Excel of Unilever, we recently ran a campaign called “Shada Moner Manush”. We requested our consumers to send names of, and reasons for, choosing a person who has taken up responsibility above and beyond the call of duty. We have recieved thousands and thousands of replies that we are currently sorting through. The final judges panel include Motiur Rahman, Debopriyo and Rokia Afzal.
Zafa: Ref: pseudolist Bdnews24.com speculates from the list of each of the three major parties. (Jamaat / LDP apperantly missing!)
Rumours that swearing in can happen this evening. But don’t know of anyone who has got an invite as yet.
October 31st, 2006 at 8:51 am
What people are saying, few hours before the possible swearing in of the advisors;
(as per TV video clips)
B Chowdhury: We agree with (the demands) of 14- party….but most important is the EC reform…need to fix the fake voter list…
M A Aziz: I did not do anything wrong…I would have quit if I did…election election election…that’s all I have in mind
Jalil: Police is still providing protections to JCD cadres..they (JCD caders) are still carrying arms…
US ambassador Butenice: (to Hasina when she visited her today)….not enough time to fullfil the demands…
Saber Chowdhury: We are interested in seeing him (CCG) work as non-partisan, want to see his true intentions…some of the demans can be met in other mother lose her…son..
October 31st, 2006 at 9:07 am
Sorry for being the ‘flooder’ (i.e. flooding with posts), it is confimed now that the advisors will take oath at 10pm Dhaka time.
(2 hours from now)
btw, IA is shuffling the police administration too.
The ones that lost their jobs are;
Director General (DG) of RAB Abdul Aziz Sarkar
Chief of Special Branch (SB) Forrukh Ahmed (also additional IG of police)
October 31st, 2006 at 10:16 am
The TV channels are reporting the following list
1. Safi Shami
2. Advocate Sultana Kamal
3. Dr Akbar Ali Khan
4. Dr. Mohsiur Rahman
5. Lt Gen Hassan Masud Choudhury
6. Yasmeen Murshed
7. Mahbul Alam (editor Independent)
8. Barrister Shafiq Ahmed
9. Justice Gourogopal Saha
10. Maj General Motiur Rahman.
The list is still unconfirmed.
Swearing in at 10 pm BST (approx 45 mins from now)
October 31st, 2006 at 10:25 am
I said in another post (Whats at stake in this election)… from my personal point of view:
Shafi Sami = Good
Gen Hasan Mashud Chowdhury = Worst
*Unhappy*
October 31st, 2006 at 10:42 am
The caretakers are: former cabinet secretary Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Scholastica chairperson Yasmin Murshid, heart specialist Dr Sufia Rahman, former foreign secretary Shafi Sami, Barrister Shafiq Ahmed, Editor of The Independent Mahbubul Alam, Justice Fazlul Huq, former secretary Dhiraj Kumar Nath, former army chief Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and former inspector general of police Azizul Huq.
October 31st, 2006 at 11:11 am
Saw these people drive in (well their drivers did) to BB on TV
1. Shafi Sami
2. Advocate Sultana Kamal (Ayin O Shalish Kendro)
3. Akbar Ali Khan
4. D K Nath
5. Hassan Masud Choudhury
6. Yasmeen Murshed (Scholastica School)
7. Azizul Huq
8.
9.
10.
October 31st, 2006 at 11:36 am
(1)Shafi Sami is the brother of Kais Sami, the infamous Managing Director of the Oriental Bank who was recently sacked by the new Governor of the Bangladesh Bank for syphoning off 586 crore taka. Here is the link for you to read:
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/10/04/d6100401011.htm
******* ********** *********
[Portions of the original post is deleted by DP-blog admins. Once again reminding people that personal slandering will not be tolerated in this blog]
(2) Yasmin Morshed: Any one who is familiar with suburban Dhaka knows about our traffic jam.
The creation of a vertical class-structure through elite English medium schools for incompetitive children of well-to-do Dhaka elite was pioneered by Mapleaf, Dhanmondi Tutorial and Scholastica — schools primarily created and supported by the wives of foreign office bureaucrats for the continuity of an English education of their children when they were transfered back to BD from overseas.
Yasmeen Morshed started Scholastica **************** during the Ershad era with plenty of black money to spend by a class of new rich created by Ershad***************** Also the fact that the children of the most rich people were bad students who could never compete and win against the children from middle and lower middle classes, ************************
But the point I am trying to make here is that the proliferation of large number of branches opened by Scholastica in recent years to make money from the growing and justified demand of the new middle class for an English education led to utter mismanagement and corruption at the level of the Yasmeen Morsheds of our society who are too keen to turn the next vacant house in the neighborhood into an English medium school and cause traffic jam and public suffering only to make more money and keep on playing the game of rich-get-richer.
I would rather have Taslima Nasrin as my representative in the CTG than Yasmeen Morshed and I personally think that T.N. is more honest than Yasmeen Morshed to not cause public suffering (although there may be a little with her lurid novels but not nearly as much as the traffic jams) whatever her personal record might be. I agree with Zafa that if T.N. was made the CTG advosor, then “Jamati-ra raakter nodi-te desh-ke bhashi-e debe”:-)
Best,
~Irad
October 31st, 2006 at 11:37 am
NTV is showing the oath taking ceremony of the ten advisors.It is utterly disappointing to see some the people who have been selected to be the ten advisors, instead of the more deserving ones. C’mon, how in the world do you choose Scholastica Chairperson Yasmin Murshid to be one of the top ten advisor???
October 31st, 2006 at 11:45 am
Asif one change from your list.
Advocate Sultana Kamal of Ain O Shalish Kendro instead of Barrister Shafiq Ahmed.
October 31st, 2006 at 11:52 am
I said before it’s all just a joke. The 150 million people rule by 2000 rich person and they make all the decision for us and now they are the big 10 advisors.
Rumi bhai respect your thoughts as always good explanation wish we could go that route but know its not possible. Money buys anything in Bangladesh.
Tasif yeah it’s a joke to see this lady on the advisors who is just busy making money for her schools wiht raising fees every year not raising the salary of the hard working teachers and without developing any educational infastructure or policy.Not a single advisor has what it takes to be an advisor. They are all politically motivated and connected. Most of them have direct political marriage relationship with both AWL and BNP and other parties.
Here is our fate. The ruling 2000 families of Bangladesh would again write the fate of 150 million people from their luxury homes of the western style cozy atmosphere of Gulshan and Banani no matter it’s the BNP or AWL. The ruling 2000 families are the same making money all the time sometime less some time more depending on who is in power AWL or BNP.
It’s a joke what we need is a revolution from down up. Poor vs rich. Things might change than. Feel sorry for our poor people they don’t even know how they are being manipulated all their life from the day they are borned and till the day they will die.
thanks
Kawser Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
October 31st, 2006 at 12:00 pm
I am a Scholastican. I am also the Secretary General of the Scholastica Alumni Assosiation. (So direct your barbs against Mrs Y here)
I’ve known Mrs Yasmeen Murshed since class 5 (last 22 years!) She is not only intellegent but also is broadminded. She is well read, and articulate in the politics, government, and international affairs. Her thoughts on Islam are particularly progressive. Her command over the issues of education and Human resource development is next to none. And most of all she is a patriot.
Let us not make this a debate on traffic jams or who is the target market for Scholastica. (If you want that let’s take it to a different post)
I know she will be impartial and the voice of reason in the CTG. I think she is one of the best choices on that list.
October 31st, 2006 at 12:29 pm
Which alliance got most out of their wish list?
4-party got 2 out of the 7 they nominated (Akbar Ali Khan, and Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury)
14-part got one out of 5 (ASK’s chief executive Sultana Kamal)
JP got none.
Those who were offered but declined are
Barrister Mainul Hosein and Professor Wahiduddin
October 31st, 2006 at 12:40 pm
Mr Farhan Choudhury,
How do you expect to vouch for the qualification, impartiality and integrity of Mrs Yasmeen Chowdhury, if you are the secretary general of the Scholastica Alumni Associatiom. Isn’t it more like Mannan Bhuiyan explaining to us why BNP is better than AL or Jalil doin vice versa.
You have been very objective in your posts in DP and have expressed your thoughts in a very well mannered fashion. I kindly would request you to keep doing so, and not to dilute your own integrity by pointing out why Mrs Y is a good choicebecause of your own bias.
Yes, she might all of the above you have mentioned and then some. But compared to the other people that might have been one of the advisor, she surely would be in the bottom of the list.
October 31st, 2006 at 1:11 pm
Siddiky, relationship between Shafi Sami and Kais Sami is irrelavant here because you need to dig on who actually nominated Shafi Sami. From now, I will refrain from posting regarding Shafi Sami matters because I’m closely related to him and do not want to post any inside matters. All I can say that he’s a good man and will try his best to do his job good.
On the other hand, I have serious doubt about Gen Hasan Mashud… I have a feeling he’s going to be misguided by Gen Moin who was KZ’s adviser during last election. And current Chief of Army, another Moin, will follow orders from Gen Mashud…
But then again, Gen Mashud was never that intelligent, he climbed up with KZ’s support and never used his wisdom. As he won’t be able to use his own intellect like he couldnt during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff, he will try to take twisted ideas from Gen Moin.
And yes, I am related to Gen Mashud as well and despise those who climb without having their own merit, with the help of someone else’s mercy. I hope for country’s sake, Gen Mashud will not behave irrationally as an advisor this time.
October 31st, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Qoute from Chowdhury Irad Ahmed Siddiky comments
“Also the fact that the children of the most rich people were bad students who could never compete and win against the children from middle and lower middle classes, the pioneering of the English medium education also served the purpose of providing less competitive special education for the new-rich’s kids in compare to our SSC/HSC system in Bangla for most BDs from ordinary families.”
Having studied in an English medium school I find Irad Ahmed’s comments preposterous. Mr. Irad Ahmed do you seriously believe that wealth directly equates to how intelligent a child is? Given the current condition of the education system in Bangladesh do you honestly believe the SSC/HSC is a superior education system compared to the British O/A’levels?
DP is a political blog aimed at discussing the current political situation in Bangladesh. You’re in your full right to criticize Mrs. Yasmeen Murshed as a choice to become advisor for the CTG. But your derogatory comments about the intellectual levels of student studying in english medium schools is biased and a “blow below the belt”. I for one protest against your comments.
October 31st, 2006 at 1:37 pm
By the way, DP, if you find my comments above on Gen Mashud are personal attacks, please feel free to remove them. I won’t mind of course, as they are coming from mine and others experiences and merely remain as our thoughts only. In the end, alike everyone else in the country, I fervently hope he will do his job good this time.
October 31st, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Huq, please notice that DP admins do not like this kind of language and have already deleted the part you quoted in your comment, and posted a notice in place for the sake of Siddiky and others like him. Most important for our readers/posters to remember is that DP is NON-partisan as an organization. DP promotes Human Rights - the rights every human being is entitled to despite their status, education, ethnicity…etc.
Our bloggers may have their own opinions, and YES we are all very political - meaning we have political consciousness - just like YOU do. If we din’t have a political consciousness - then we wouldn’t be online writing this, juggling office work, kids and million other things in our diaspora lives.
All of which are fun, but we have found ourselves spending additional hours deleting stuff from a post…which is unfortunate.
We hope our devoted readers/poster will continue to come back to check our postings, and write something that’s not deragatory to others.
Appreciate all of you who had been giving us info and keeping us vigilant ans sharing your valuable thoughts.
October 31st, 2006 at 2:46 pm
We all have biases. It is these biases along our experiances and expertise that allows us to bring to the table (or atleast to this discussion blog) varying ideas and ideology.
When I say that something is right, or for that matter wrong; Or that someone is good or bad… I say it because I have a personal conviction for that point of view.
I genuinely feel Mrs Yasmeen Murshed is a good candidate. And if you notice my own “dream team” list, she heads it. And not Rokia Afzal though I know her better and have vested interest in her being on the list.
Oh incidentally Jalil and Manan’s job is to talk up their candidates, policies and manifesto. It us up to us to believe them or not. Simillarly what I say about Mrs Y is for you to believe or not. I attribute most of my values, education, knowledge and patriotism to her (in addition to my parents) And that installs in me the right to “promote” her. But it is also my duty to all readers here to give full disclosure about my relationship to a person, so that you are aware if there are any conflicts of interest arising.
Now it is open to debate if she should be on the list or not. But according to me she should. And I believe she can deliver on the responsibility put on her. I do not know everyone on the list well but do know a few of them quite well. And believe you me there are more people who are not worthy to be on the list. But want to give all of them the benefit of the doubt. More so as we cannot afford them to fail.
October 31st, 2006 at 4:14 pm
Ref: Yasmeen Murshed
Before anybody questions her competence, please bear in mind that she single-handedly ( by that I mean without a husband, boyfriend, political background or a whole lot of financial support) created Scholastica (school, etc, ohs..the whole corporate giant) in less than 25 years. If anyone knows how to manage money or people,its her. She is also the most well-spoken, articulate woman i know. And far far far more progressive and liberal than some controversial ‘feminists’ we’ve been arguing over.
just sharing some thoughts. Mrs.Murshed, the chairperson of the school I attended, is someone I looked upto all my life. Here’s a chance for the rest of Bangladesh to do the same. She is an amazing leader.
October 31st, 2006 at 4:19 pm
in case anybody needs more proof…Mrs. Yasmeen Murshed has two graduate degrees and two post-graduate degrees. Her disciplines where English Literature and Economics.
November 1st, 2006 at 12:41 am
Let’s see what this Ocean’s Eleven can do. Alas, if betting could be somehow included in Human Rights Activities, drishtipat could launch an interesting betting service … at the end of every week, all the advisers would have been evaluated … to show who’s the strong horse, and who’s the wrong one … but I’m proposing one thing … since Yasmin Murshed is suggested to be a person of amazing capabilities, let us anoint her with an exclamation mark “!”. I believe sooner or later drishtipat will recognize her as Mrs. Y!M ( Yahoo! Messenger … your days as Y!M are numbered!!).
November 1st, 2006 at 1:44 am
Fariha
Please this is a fight between socialist and Capitalist not between me and Mrs Morshed or Miss Ali. I will fight for higher salary for the teachers and lower fees for the students. If you see them remind them of the storm that will come to them in very near future.They are giving goal in the open field because no one question them.
I respect her degrees but don’t give value cos even the *********** ex finance ministor Saifur Rahman had lot of degrees too so is he the best?
Please see with both eyes where the education system lies today? why we created this divide for education? who got benefited?who lost? who won?
If people like Mrs Morshed and Miss Ali wanted the education system of the country could have been different not like this whats today.I do have a grudge and its my right to have it because they didn’t do anything except taking money buidling empire.
If you want to take this discussion further my email address is Kawserjamal@yahoo.com and I live in USA and go to the site you will find all the information.
thanks
Kawser Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
[Message edited for unacceptable language]
November 1st, 2006 at 11:52 am
As you might be wanting to know, bdnews24.com reports the following:
President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed
Armed Forces Division
Cabinet Division
Election Commission Secretariat
NGO Bureau
Defence Ministry
Establishment Ministry
Public Service Commission
Foreign Affairs
Home Affairs
Education Ministry
Fazlul Huq, former appellate division judge
Law, Justice Parliamentary Affairs
Parliament Secretariat
Land Ministry
Forest and Environment Ministry
Dr Akbar Ali Khan, former cabinet and finance secretary
Finance Ministry, including
Finance Division, Economic Relations Division, Internal Resources Division
Planning Ministry including Planning Division, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED)
Commerce Ministry
Post and Telecommunications Ministry
Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, former army chief
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry
(both Power and Energy Divisions)
Food and Disaster Management Ministries
Communications Ministry
Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs
C M Shafi Sami, former ambassador and foreign secretary
Agriculture Ministry
Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sport
Dhiraj Kumar Nath, former secretary
Fisheries and Livestock Ministry
Housing and Public Works Ministry
Liberation War Affairs Ministry
Mahbubul Alam, journalist and newspaper editor
Water Resources Ministry
Information Ministry
Religious Affairs
M Azizul Huq, former head of police
Local Government and Rural Development Ministry (both Divisions)
Port, Shipping and Inland Water Transport Ministry
Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry
Sufia Rahman, physician and surgeon
Health and Family Welfare
Labour and Employment Ministry
Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment
Yasmin Murshid, former principal of an English-medium school
Women and Children’s Affairs Ministry
Primary and Mass Education Division
Social Welfare Ministry
Sultana Kamal, human-rights campaigner
Industries Ministry
Science and ICT Ministry
Textiles and Jute Ministry
November 1st, 2006 at 11:55 am
So it seems that Iajuddin is not only the President and the Chief of CTG, but also the most important ministers! All we need him to do is now declear himself the CEC and the Leader of the Opposition and we won’t even need to have the polls!
Sad state of affairs indeed.
November 1st, 2006 at 11:59 am
Is it me or is there a bias…a ploy of setting up the election atmosphere with a little love-sidedness?
November 1st, 2006 at 12:35 pm
I love the portfolio of Dhiraj Kumar Nath. If I was Dhiraj, I would be going to that wonderful and fabulous life of Great fishing, living in a Great big house in the country, where I can sleep on my antique victorian bed and contemplate on all the atrocities committed during the war of our liberation and come up with a novel published by my ministry. I am sure this luxury is very well deserved
Dhiraj Kumar Nath, former secretary.
Portfolios in CTG:
Fisheries and Livestock Ministry
Housing and Public Works Ministry
Liberation War Affairs Ministry
I also like the portfolio of Sultana Kamal. As a champion of human rights, she can now find remedies for all kinds of industrial abuses of human rights. The ‘Science’ portfolio makes her job even more interesting, since as a human rights activist, she can now go after all forms of dehumanization by science…lol
Sultana Kamal, human-rights campaigner
Portfolios:
Industries Ministry
Science and ICT Ministry
Textiles and Jute Ministry
November 1st, 2006 at 12:40 pm
1. It is apparently the tradition that CA and president keep all these between themselves. Last two CA/President combined took the same portofolios. This time CA/President is one person !
2. For Iazuddin’s heart, Sufia Apa ( Dr Sufia)probably will be staying as close to his heart as possible.
For those debating about Yasmin Morshed or else, let me tell about Sufia Apa.
She first started doing cardiac catherization ( Angiogram/stent etc.) in Bangladesh. These are extremely difficult technique to learn without a trainer or supervisor and without a set up like Xray etc. She did it in Bangladesh. Extremely skilled and brave women. Even in the west, this sort of interventional adevntures are done by daredevil men after decaded of supervised training. She trained a bunch of interventional cardiologists in Bangladesh like Momenuzzaman etc and Bangladesh is now self sufficient in cardiology treatment options.
November 1st, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Very fishy. Some advisers are definitely being treated as Dudhbhat.
But please, could any one of you google out some facts? What does our beloved president live on? Seriously, I need his dietary scroll. Is that some ancient ayurvedic scripture he follows? Ordinary daal-bhat with occassional murg-musallam can’t perk anyone up like that. There must be some magic potion, or spinach, or some darvish-blessed robinson barley he takes regularly. What tremendous feat! Had I that formula up my sleeves, I would have gone for satisfying my sunnah major, getting married to a 4-party-bride-combine on the same sitting.
November 1st, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Rumi Bhai: Dr. Sufia is a true patriot. I met her last winter in Dhaka. I think she is the most highly qualified of all the female representatives in the CTG so far since 1991.
Moreover, when the heart races against the head, there is nothing better than a heart specialist near your heart and in that capacity Sufia Apa will be a Great asset to our country and our people
Best,
~Irad.
November 1st, 2006 at 3:09 pm
All the anger and frustration will calm down and in course of time we’ll go back to our origin, Khaleda and Hasina. If we think some kind of revolution has shaken the nation and there is a new sun on the horizon, we’re damn wrong. Nothing has happened; an elected regime has just completed its full term. As expected, it has sucked public wealth as much it could leaving behind a blue print of going back where they left off. For our main opposition (ex), it’s the question of survival. Ten years of fasting will push their core supporter to switch the bench to fill up the empty pockets. Many of us may despise the idea, but we need to comprehend the fact that one of the two parties is going to screw our country for many years to come. There will be no messenger from God for our salvation, neither any overnight magic will turn our fate upside down. We need to find a way of gradual transformation from wrong to right. Momentary lapse of patience which causes anarchy, has little long term impact on current politics.
January 12th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
The people of Banglasesh will respite. I hope new Adviser will work for the betterment of Bangladesh.
January 12th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
perhaps its time to restart this thread…
Anyone heard anything about new advisers? Some suggestions above from three months ago in case people in the loop are reading this blog. Good to see one from Farhan’s list has become the CA this time around.