Govt forms five reform commissions to improve state structures
Each commission will have a student representative, whose names are yet to be published
The government has established five new reform commissions aimed at making the electoral process, police administration, judiciary, anti-corruption watchdog, and public administration more accountable, efficient, neutral, and responsive to public needs.
The Cabinet Division issued separate gazette notifications to this end following the Council of Advisers meeting held at the Chief Adviser's Office on Thursday.
According to the notifications, each commission will include a student representative, although the names have not yet been disclosed.
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The commissions will begin operations on 3 October and are required to submit their reports to the chief adviser within 90 days.
This initiative follows Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's recent address to the nation on 11 September, where he announced plans for six reform commissions. These commissions aim to address structural improvements in the electoral system, police, judiciary, public administration, the Constitution, and the anti-corruption body.
As per the notifications, the Election System Reform Commission will be headed by Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder.
The other members of the commission are – local government and election affairs expert Dr Tofail Ahmed; former additional secretary of the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat Jesmin Tuli; election expert Md Abdul Alim; political analyst Dr Zahed Ur Rahman; institutional reform expert Mir Nadia Nivin; and electronic voting and blockchain expert Mohammad Sadek Ferdus.
The Police Reform Commission will be headed by former secretary Safar Raj Hossain.
Other members are – Additional Home Secretary (Public Security Division) Abu Momtaj Sad Uddin Ahmed; Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Mohammad Iqbal; former divisional commissioner Mohammad Harun Chowdhury; former additional inspector generals of police Sheikh Sajjad Ali and Md Golam Rasul; Dhaka University Law Department Professor Shahnaz Huda; and human rights activist ASM Nasiruddin Alan.
The Judiciary Reform Commission will be headed by former justice of Appellate Division Shah Abu Nayeem Mominir Rahman.
Other members are – retired High Court judges Justice Emdadul Haque and Justice Farid Ahmed Shibli; former district and sessions judge and former registrar general of Supreme Court Syed Aminul Islam; former district and sessions judge Masdar Hossain; senior SC lawyer Tanim Hussain Shawn, and DU Law Department Associate Professor Kazi Mahfuzul Haque Supan.
The Anti-Corruption Reform Commission will be headed by Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman.
Other members of the commission are – former comptroller and auditor general Masud Ahmed; Dhaka University Public Administration Professor Dr Mobasser Monem; Prof Mostak Khan of University of London; Barrister Mahdin Choudhury; DU Law Department Prof Dr Mahbubur Rahman; and Supreme Court lawyer Farzana Sharmin.
The Public Administration Reform Commission will be headed by Biman Bangladesh Airlines Chairman Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, who is also a former adviser of the Latifur Rahman caretaker government.
Other members are – former secretaries Mohammad Tarek and Mohammad Ayub Mia; Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry Dr Md Mokhles ur Rahman; former additional secretaries Md Hafizur Rahman and Rizwan Khayer; and Dhaka University Public Administration teacher Prof Aka Firowz Ahmad.
