DHAKA, 13 January 2007 — Fakhruddin Ahmed, a former governor of Bangladesh Bank, was sworn in as chief adviser to the caretaker government yesterday evening in the latest changeover in the interim administration.
President Iajuddin Ahmed administered the oath of office to Ahmed at Bangabhaban, as the president’s secretariat is called, at 7 p.m., a day after he declared a state of emergency in Bangladesh and stepped down as head of the caretaker government.
Awami League President Hasina Wajed and leaders of her alliance attended the ceremony at the Darbar Hall. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia, however, did not turn up. Fakhruddin Ahmed started his career as a teacher in the Department of Economics of Dhaka University. Later, he joined the civil service of Pakistan and served the government in various capacities until 1978. He held senior positions in the World Bank from 1978 till 2001 before joining Bangladesh Bank as its governor.
Keen political observers view the latest appointment of the chief adviser as a move to placate the Awami League, which has long been spearheading blockades and general strikes since Oct. 28 last year demanding credible elections.
By resigning as chief adviser, President Ahmed also met one of the Awami League’s demands. He also conceded her plea for changing the chief of intelligence agency National Security Intelligence when Maj. Gen. Rezzakul Haider was transferred to the army headquarters.
Observers said Fakhruddin Ahmed, who was private secretary to Hasina’s slain father Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had served as Bangladesh Bank governor when she ruled Bangladesh as prime minister from 1996 to 2001.
The Awami League formed a grand alliance of anti-Khaleda Zia parties recently to fight the BNP-led four-party alliance in the ninth parliamentary elections which were due on Jan. 22. The polls have been postponed. As chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed will head a ten-member advisory council. He will enjoy the rank and status of a prime minister while advisers will have that of ministers.
