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Zeauddin Ahmed

  • Economist

Former Managing Director of Bangladesh Bank and Former Managing Director of The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Limited, or Takshal 

Reforms to restore voting rights
Reforms to restore voting rights
State and Politics

Reforms to restore voting rights

The chief advisor of the interim government had announced the formation of six reform commissions, one of which was the Electoral Reform Commission. On October 3, 2024, an eight-member commission was formed, led by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, with the goal of ensuring fair, impartial, and participatory elections to establish a representative democracy. The full report of the commission has already been published on the cabinet division's website. The chief advisor has emphasized the importance of reforms, stating that a key focus of these reforms is to establish a fair electoral system and good governance. The chief advisor has called on every citizen of the country to actively and joyfully engage in this great reform movement. He has also urged the public to come forward for the implementation of the commission's recommendations.

Interim government's failure threatens alternative governance ideas
Interim government's failure threatens alternative governance ideas
Politics and Bureaucracy

Interim government's failure threatens alternative governance ideas

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the head of the interim government, has grand aspirations based on the recommendations of various commissions. He believes that the charter created by the consensus of political parties, excluding the Awami League, will be inviolable and eternal, and no political party will be able to deviate from it. While Dr. Yunus is a knowledgeable and accomplished individual, it is necessary to assess his political maturity. Lacking experience in the intricate realities of politics, he seems to be more inclined towards dreaming than dealing with the practicalities of implementing those dreams. From this desire, he wants to leave behind some directives for the nation. However, it is difficult to predict the longevity of the charter once signed in agreement.

Why political governments ignore past contributions
গ্রাফিক্স
State and Politics

Why political governments ignore past contributions

In July and August, the anti-discrimination students' victory is being claimed by both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. While the anti-discrimination students have recognized Jamaat, they are less inclined to give credit to the BNP. As a result, occasional verbal conflicts arise between the two factions. The BNP believes that their continuous struggle against the Awami League government for 15 years was crucial; without their efforts, the fall of the Awami League government in the July-August popular uprising would not have been possible. This statement is not entirely false. On December 6, 1971, India recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation, and the direct involvement of Indian forces led to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers on December 16, marking Bangladesh’s victory.

When will true freedom of expression be realized?
When will true freedom of expression be realized?
State and Politics

When will true freedom of expression be realized?

Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus speaks articulately, and his speeches are heard worldwide. Upon assuming power, he urged everyone to highlight the government's mistakes. He believes in unrestricted freedom of speech. He expressed a desire to free the people of the country from the closed environment of previous party governments. Not only the Chief Advisor but also the interim government has repeatedly reaffirmed this commitment. Moreover, one of the main promises emerging from the August 5 uprising is media freedom. However, the reality in the country is quite different, and it is unlikely that the Chief Advisor is unaware of it. Despite the strong call to criticize the government, the media has been more restrained than necessary in presenting true information. Fear of being attacked by 'mob justice' or labeled as 'dictator’s ally' has led the media to ensure their safety by speaking sycophantic words, much like the past 15 years. The editorial council feels that media freedom is still under attack.

Why the White Paper failed to make an impact
Why the White Paper failed to make an impact
Economics

Why the White Paper failed to make an impact

The interim government has set up several reform committees. One such committee, formed to review the economy left behind by the ‘autocrat’, recently published a white paper. During a press conference, the committee provided an explanation of the data and findings in the white paper. From the statements of the committee’s head, Debapriya Bhattacharya, it becomes clear that during the previous government's tenure, "crony capitalism" led to the creation of "corrupt systems", involving politicians, military and civilian bureaucrats, and the judiciary. The white paper claims that in the last 15 years, $234 billion was illegally siphoned out of Bangladesh through 28 different methods of corruption. However, the white paper did not attempt to identify the corrupt individuals, as it states its job is not to catch the thieves but to describe the methods of theft. Thus, the white paper only attempted to investigate the process of theft. According to Debapriya Bhattacharya, identifying the individuals or institutions involved in corruption would require appealing to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) or the Intelligence Unit of the central bank.