5 of Hasina's advisers resign
Five out of seven advisers of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who took office five years back, resigned today complying with her instruction to do so.
The move came amid growing criticism over the number of the PM's advisers --11 till yesterday -- in her polls-time administration.
The five are: HT Imam, public administration affairs adviser; Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser; Mashiur Rahman, economic affairs adviser; Syed Modasser Ali, health and family welfare and social welfare affairs adviser; and Alauddin Ahmed, education and political affairs adviser.
They submitted their resignation letters to the PM at Gono Bhaban, her official residence, in the afternoon, Abul Kalam Azad, press secretary to the PM, told The Daily Star.
After assuming power in January 2009, Hasina appointed seven advisers and allowed them to attend cabinet meetings, drawing severe criticism even from the ruling Awami League’s rank and file.
While forming an election-time government recently, Hasina appointed four new advisers, thus taking the number of her advisers to 11.
As criticism kept pouring in, the prime minister, at a meeting at the Gono Bhaban last night, asked the five advisers to resign.
The two advisers -- International affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi; and security adviser major gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique -- were not present at the meeting.
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