Bangladesh News

The four advisers who resigned from their posts yesterday got mired in controversies over their failure in performing up to the mark and having made sarcastic and inconsistent remarks since taking office a year ago.

There were rumours over the last few days that the advisers–Mainul Hosein, Tapan Chowdhury, Geeteara Safiya Choudhury and Maj Gen (retd) ASM Matiur Rahman–might have to go for their controversial statements and activities which embarrassed the government.

The four went to their offices yesterday and sent their resignation letters to the chief adviser.

They also attended a function at the Rajarbagh Police Lines in the capital where Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed formally

inaugurated Police Week 2008.

When Mainul was attending a meeting with officers of the law enforcement agencies there, he was called over telephone from the chief adviser’s office. Mainul then went to his ministry around 1:30pm and left the office an hour later.

Sources said Mainul sent his resignation letter by a messenger and then left the office for his residence in Baridhara.

The adviser for the ministries of information, law, justice and parliamentary affairs, housing and public works, and land is often accused of making outrageous, sarcastic and controversial comments on political matters.

Over the last few months, he blasted politicians on different occasions, obliquely saying that they are out to push the government into trouble.

He also made inconsistent remarks on formation of the national government, but the army chief later brushed aside the possibility of formation of such government. His disclosure of the government move to send former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia into exile also earned the government a bad name in home and abroad.

Mainul took public flak for making statements when the issue of war criminals’ trial was raised.

He also drew huge criticism from journalists, press workers and employees for awarding a faulty wage board.

Adviser Tapan Chowdhury drew criticism for failing to tackle the crisis of food items, the prices of which have doubled since the caretaker government took charge on January 11 last year.

Apart from the food and disaster management ministry, Tapan was also at the helm of the ministries of power, energy and mineral resources, science, information and communications technology, and youth and sports.

His recent comment that the government has nothing to do with checking the skyrocketing food prices earned him the biggest blow. Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam strongly opposed his statement the next day.

On his last day in office, Tapan talked with reporters at the power ministry and said the government is trying to ensure necessary supply of power for irrigation during the coming Boro season.

Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, who was in charge of the ministries of industries, textiles and jute, social welfare, and women and children affairs, came under severe criticism for shutting down several jute mills in Khulna.

Already criticised for underperformance, Geeteara last November described the ongoing fertiliser crisis as a “myth”, sparking nationwide protests.

ASM Matiur Rahman, adviser for the ministries of health and family welfare, water resources, and religious affairs, was also criticised for poor performance, especially for the mismanagement in sending hajis to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj.

Prior to his resignation, Matiur addressed a high-level meeting at his office to evaluate hajj operations and find out the shortcomings yesterday, acknowledging mismanagement in hajj operations and causing immense sufferings to the pilgrims.

He, however, initially denied that he resigned and requested reporters not to ask him “embarrassing” questions.

“Do not ask me this question…I have not resigned. I am busy with the bird-flu issue,” he said around 3:15pm when the media had already circulated news about his resignation.

But later, emerging from his health ministry office at about 5:15pm he told reporters, “What you have seen on television is true.”

Asked about the reasons for his resignation, he said, “Power does not last forever.” He said he has performed his responsibilities and would do it if entrusted with in future.

Earlier on December 26, education and cultural affairs adviser Ayub Quadri resigned in the wake of a huge public outcry over the theft and destruction of two Paris-bound Vishnu statuettes.

Mainul Hosein, Geeteara Safiya Choudhury and Tapan Chowdhury took oath as advisers on January 13 last year. Matiur Rahman and Ayub Quadri took oath three days later.