After Prime Minister, Chief Justice, now student's wrath led to the departure of another important person in power in Bangladesh. Within three days of his appointment, Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain was replaced as home adviser in the interim government following criticism of his conduct by student leaders, media reports said on Saturday.
Bangladesh's Daily Star reported that Hussain was replaced by Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Friday night, hours after four new advisers, including Jahangir, were sworn into office. According to the chief advisor's press wing, as the interim government redistributed the portfolios of eight advisers, Sakhawat was given the charge of the textiles and jute ministry.
This comes within 8 days of the formation of the interim government. As per Daily Star, “A coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement criticised him for some comments while BNP and its three associate bodies demanded his resignation.” On Friday, Muhammad Yunus expanded his team with four advisers taking the total strength of the advisers, who are all equivalent to ministers, in the interim government's advisory council to 21.
On Saturday, the most surprising was the change by replacing Sakhawat, who had hogged the headlines for multiple comments soon after assuming the office of the home adviser. On August 11, Shakhawat, who also headed the Election Commission in the past, said, “Now, if you think you'll take control of the markets and resort to extortion, you can go ahead and do it for a while. But I have requested the army chief to break your legs… I don't care, go to hell.”
Moreover, Sakhawat had also advised Awami League leaders and activists not to do anything that may put their lives in danger, and to reorganise the party with new faces. The same day, Hasnat Abdullah, one of the key coordinators of the student protests, at a rally said, "We have seen the advisers talking about rehabilitating the murderers [Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders]. We want to remind those advisers that you have come to power through the student-people uprising. "We will not hesitate to oust you the way we made you advisers," he had said.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the state-run news agency, also announced that the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus gave contractual appointments to five secretaries in four ministries and the President's Office.
(With inputs from agencies)
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