Shakhawat Liton
In
his first term as an advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, HT Imam
put the Hasina government into an embarrassing situation. Two district
judges were sent into force retirement at the end of July, 2009. It
happened only seven months after the then government-led by Hasina began
its journey after an overwhelming victory in the December, 2008
parliamentary election. Imam played the leading role in sending the two
judges on retirement, triggering some huge controversy and criticism. It
was considered an attack on the independence of the judiciary. The
constitutional provision was not followed to send the judges on
retirement. The two judges had reportedly prepared to challenge the
government decision with the Supreme Court.
It however finally reinstated the two judges in the face of severe criticism, and to avoid legal complexities, as according to several verdicts of the SC, sending the judges into forced retirement without consulting the apex court was illegal. Later, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the law ministry had decided to probe the roles of Prime Minister's Adviser HT Imam, who was in charge of the then establishment ministry, and the establishment and law secretaries. The parliamentary body's decision annoyed Imam who questioned its intention. However the parliamentary body was unable to proceed with the issue. It suddenly stopped the move. In fact it was difficult for the committee to move forward with the issue as Imam enjoyed the blessing of the Prime Minister, who has also the Leader of the House. Imam did not face any unpleasant situation for his actions.
He was made advisor to the Prime Minister in January 2014 after the AL returned to office following the one-sided January 5 parliamentary election. This time, Imam was made the Prime Minister's Political Affairs Adviser with the status of a minister, a rare incident when a former bureaucrat is made the political affairs adviser of the PM. It has also set a bizarre precedence in the history of the AL. There are some seasoned politicians in the ruling party. Even the AL has a strong advisory council consisting of some senior and seasoned politicians. Hasina, also the chief of the ruling AL, can easily talk to her advisory council if she needs any political advice. The advisory council however has been made almost dysfunctional, meaning the premier needs little advice from her party's advisory council.
In appointing Imam her adviser the premier might not have considered much about his past role. Imam was the cabinet secretary of Khandaker Mushtaque-led government which was installed by the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after the bloody events of August 15, 1975.
However,
on November 12, at a programme of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Imam
referred to the role of police and administration during the January 5
election, and said he talked to officials concerned in all upazilas, and
asked them to form mobile courts with pro-AL officials to help to hold
the election. He said: “They [pro-AL officials] stood by us and
sacrificed their lives for us. Nineteen of our policemen were killed
brutally by Jamaat-Shibir men. They all were our men.” Through such
remarks he explained the advantage of having party men in the
administration and how the AL benefited from this.
He also assured the BCL men of favouring them to get government jobs through the BCS examination. He said the BCL men would just have to try and overcome the hurdle of written test in civil service exams. The rest would be taken care of. "We will see how much we can help you with the viva voce. “Whenever I take anyone's curriculum vitae to the prime minister or request her to give someone a job, she asks whether the person was involved in Chhatra League politics and also about his or her contribution to politics.”
His assurance and remarks about the BCS exam run contrary to the constitutional provision that speaks of equality for everyone to get public jobs. It has also exposed how the government in the previous five years had politicised the administration through partisan appointment and partisan approach in the posting and transfer of government officials. The government did not care about the electoral pledges it had made before the December 2008 parliamentary election. And it was HT Imam who looked into the establishment ministry.
Imam's remarks also made it clearer that it is not possible to hold a free and fair parliamentary election under a partisan government. Imam said how he manoeuvred the public administration during the January 5 parliamentary polls. So, his remarks have justified the demand for the installation of a non-party election time government.
Imam, however, tried to defend his position. And in so doing, he followed the traditional path of blaming the media for distorting his remarks. In any democratic and civilised country, an individual holding an important office finds it almost impossible to remain in office by putting the onus of his own controversial act on the media. Bangladesh is different and unique. So, it's safe to assume that Imam will be able to remain in office for the months to come.
The writer is Senior Reporter, The Daily Star.
Sheikh Hasina, Photo: Star File
It however finally reinstated the two judges in the face of severe criticism, and to avoid legal complexities, as according to several verdicts of the SC, sending the judges into forced retirement without consulting the apex court was illegal. Later, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the law ministry had decided to probe the roles of Prime Minister's Adviser HT Imam, who was in charge of the then establishment ministry, and the establishment and law secretaries. The parliamentary body's decision annoyed Imam who questioned its intention. However the parliamentary body was unable to proceed with the issue. It suddenly stopped the move. In fact it was difficult for the committee to move forward with the issue as Imam enjoyed the blessing of the Prime Minister, who has also the Leader of the House. Imam did not face any unpleasant situation for his actions.
He was made advisor to the Prime Minister in January 2014 after the AL returned to office following the one-sided January 5 parliamentary election. This time, Imam was made the Prime Minister's Political Affairs Adviser with the status of a minister, a rare incident when a former bureaucrat is made the political affairs adviser of the PM. It has also set a bizarre precedence in the history of the AL. There are some seasoned politicians in the ruling party. Even the AL has a strong advisory council consisting of some senior and seasoned politicians. Hasina, also the chief of the ruling AL, can easily talk to her advisory council if she needs any political advice. The advisory council however has been made almost dysfunctional, meaning the premier needs little advice from her party's advisory council.
In appointing Imam her adviser the premier might not have considered much about his past role. Imam was the cabinet secretary of Khandaker Mushtaque-led government which was installed by the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after the bloody events of August 15, 1975.
HT Imam, Photo: Star File
He also assured the BCL men of favouring them to get government jobs through the BCS examination. He said the BCL men would just have to try and overcome the hurdle of written test in civil service exams. The rest would be taken care of. "We will see how much we can help you with the viva voce. “Whenever I take anyone's curriculum vitae to the prime minister or request her to give someone a job, she asks whether the person was involved in Chhatra League politics and also about his or her contribution to politics.”
His assurance and remarks about the BCS exam run contrary to the constitutional provision that speaks of equality for everyone to get public jobs. It has also exposed how the government in the previous five years had politicised the administration through partisan appointment and partisan approach in the posting and transfer of government officials. The government did not care about the electoral pledges it had made before the December 2008 parliamentary election. And it was HT Imam who looked into the establishment ministry.
Imam's remarks also made it clearer that it is not possible to hold a free and fair parliamentary election under a partisan government. Imam said how he manoeuvred the public administration during the January 5 parliamentary polls. So, his remarks have justified the demand for the installation of a non-party election time government.
Imam, however, tried to defend his position. And in so doing, he followed the traditional path of blaming the media for distorting his remarks. In any democratic and civilised country, an individual holding an important office finds it almost impossible to remain in office by putting the onus of his own controversial act on the media. Bangladesh is different and unique. So, it's safe to assume that Imam will be able to remain in office for the months to come.
The writer is Senior Reporter, The Daily Star.
Published: 12:00 am Friday, November 21, 2014
Last modified: 4:50 pm Wednesday, November 19, 2014
