Chief Adviser of Bangladesh

History

The caretaker government system of Bangladesh was introduced in March 1996 through the passage of the 13th amendment to the Bangladesh constitution. The system was formed to hold parliamentary elections after the election in February conducted by the Khaleda Zia government was widely boycotted by the opposition parties. The amendment recommended making the last retired chief justice the chief adviser. In 1996, Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman was appointed the chief adviser of the caretaker government. Along with the President of Bangladesh, Abdur Rahman Biswas, prevented the 1996 Bangladesh coup d'état attempt.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party had some difficult appointing a chief adviser to the caretaker government, which led to the 2006–08 Bangladeshi political crisis. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party appointed President Iajuddin Ahmed the chief adviser to the caretaker government, but he faced demands for resignation from Bangladesh Awami League. Iajuddin Ahmed was replaced by Fakhruddin Ahmed. During the crisis, the military-backed caretaker government was led by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed. Fakhruddin Ahmed appointed three special assistants to himself who were given the rank of a state minister. The assistants were Barrister Debashis Roy, Brigadier-General M. A. Malek, and Professor M Tamim. There was some debate about the constitutional validity of the assistant to the chief advisers.

The caretaker government system was scrapped along with the 13th amendment in 2011 through the passage of the 15th Amendment of the constitution to allow the elected government to conduct any general election in the future, with the chief justice of Bangladesh, A.B.M. Khairul Haque, declaring the caretaker government system illegal and unconstitutional.

The office of Chief Adviser was restored in August 2024 under the extra-constitutional setup of an interim government, following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Economist Muhammad Yunus took the position. Following the High Court's verdict in December 2024, several sections of the Fifteenth Amendment were scrapped, formally restoring the caretaker system.

Composition of the non-party caretaker government

1. Non-party caretaker government shall consist of the chief adviser at its head and ten or fewer other advisers, all of whom shall be appointed by the president.
2. The chief adviser and other advisers shall be appointed within fifteen days after Parliament is dissolved or stands dissolved, and during the period between the date on which Parliament is dissolved or stands dissolved and the date on which the chief adviser is appointed, the prime minister and his cabinet who were in office immediately before Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) was dissolved or stood dissolved shall continue to hold office as such.
3. The president shall appoint as chief adviser the person who among the retired chief justices retired last and who is qualified to be appointed as an adviser under this article: Provided that if such retired chief justice is not available or is not willing to hold the office of chief adviser, the president shall appoint as chief adviser the person who among the retired chief justice of Bangladesh retired next before the last retired chief justice.
4. If no retired chief justice is available or willing to hold the office of chief adviser, the president shall appoint as chief adviser the person who among the retired judges of the Appellate Division retired last and who is qualified to be appointed as an adviser under this article: Provided that if such retired judge is not available or is not willing to hold the office of chief adviser, the president shall appoint as chief adviser the person who among the retired judges of the Appellate Division retired next before the last such retired judge.
5. If no retired judge of the Appellate Division is available or willing to hold the office of chief adviser, the president shall, after consultation, as far as practicable, with the major political parties, appoint the chief adviser from among citizens of Bangladesh who are qualified to be appointed as advisers under this article.
6. Notwithstanding anything contained in this chapter, if the provisions of clauses (3), (4) and (5) cannot be given effect to, the president shall assume the functions of the chief adviser of the non-party caretaker government in addition to his functions under this Constitution.
7. The president shall appoint advisers from among the persons who are
8. qualified for election as members of parliament;
9. not members of any political party or any organisation associated with or affiliated to any political party;
10. not, and have agreed in writing not to be, candidates for the ensuing election of members of parliament;
11. not over seventy-two years of age.
12. The advisers shall be appointed by the president on the advice of the chief adviser.
13. The chief adviser or an adviser may resign his office by writing under his hand addressed to the president.
14. The chief adviser or an adviser shall cease to be chief adviser or adviser if he is disqualified to be appointed as such under this article.
15. The chief adviser shall have the status, and shall be entitled to the remuneration and privileges, of a prime minister, and an adviser shall have the status, and shall be entitled to the remuneration and privileges, of a minister.
16. The non-party caretaker government shall stand dissolved on the date on which the prime minister enters upon his office after the constitution of the new parliament.

Chief Adviser's Office

The Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) () is the official workplace of the chief adviser of Bangladesh during an interim or caretaker government. Its the office of the Head of Government of Bangladesh during an interim or caretaker government. It is equivalent to the Prime Minister's Office during an elected government.

It represents the executive branch of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh during an interim or caretaker government. The location of the CAO is in Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Headquarters

Following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, an Interim government led by Muhammad Yunus was formed on 8 August 2024. During the initial days of the interim government, Jamuna State Guest House acted as the Chief Adviser's Office as the Prime Minister's Office at Tejgaon was vandalised on 5 August 2024 as the result of July Revolution. After a 15 days repair work, the office was restored and converted into the Chief Adviser's Office.

Organizations under Chief Adviser's Office

The following is the list of organizations under CAO:

1. Sub-regional Co-operation Cell (SRCC)
2. Governance Innovation Unit (GIU)
3. Private Export Processing Zone (PEPZ)
4. NGO Affairs Bureau
5. Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA)
6. Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA)
7. Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA)
8. Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA)
9. National Skills Development Authority (NSDA)
10. Special Security Force (SSF)
11. National Security Intelligence (NSI)

Special Positions Under the Chief Adviser's Office in the Yunus Ministry

Below is the list of Special Positions Under the Chief Adviser's Office in the Yunus Ministry.

List of chief advisers of Bangladesh

There have been 5 chief advisers of Bangladesh so far.

Notes

References

References

1. Molla, MAS. "Should Justice Hasan express embarrassment?". The Daily Star.
2. (28 September 2010). "'Cancel system of appointing last retired CJ as chief adviser'". The Daily Star.
3. (9 August 2012). "Chief adviser from ex-chief justices". The Daily Star.
4. (12 December 2006). "Iajuddin must quit now as chief adviser". The Daily Star.
5. (17 September 2011). "Advisers acted differently". The Daily Star.
6. (11 January 2008). "3 special assistants to CA appointed". The Daily Star.
7. (10 August 2024). "Interim govt formed upon SC nod". The Daily Star.
8. (7 August 2024). "Interim govt: What the law says". [[Dhaka Tribune]].
9. (17 December 2024). "Caretaker govt revived following nation's wish, says HC". [[The Business Standard]].
10. link. (17 December 2024). [[BBC Bangla]]
11. (17 December 2024). "Non-party caretaker govt system restored". The Daily Star.
12. (16 January 2008). "Legal position of special assistants to the chief adviser". The Daily Star.
13. (1 September 2024). "Prof Yunus starts his office from Chief Adviser's Office".
14. (1 Sep 2024). "Chief Adviser starts office in Tejgaon". [[Dhaka Tribune]].
15. (1 Sep 2024). "Chief advisor sets up office at Prime Minister's Office".
16. (8 Aug 2024). "Muhammad Yunus takes oath as head of Bangladesh's interim government".
17. (8 Aug 2024). "Yunus-led interim govt takes charge".
18. (8 Aug 2024). "Bangladesh gets interim government after four-day vacuum".
19. "Office under CAO".
20. (10 November 2024). "President swears in three new advisers". [[Dhaka Tribune]].
21. (10 November 2024). "Who are the new advisers?".
22. (11 November 2024). "Govt announces another major reshuffle as three new advisers sworn in".
23. link
24. (19 November 2024). "Khalilur Rahman appointed as High Representative to CA". [[Dhaka Tribune]].
25. (19 November 2024). "Khalilur Rahman appointed as CA's high representative".
26. (2025-02-19). "Shafiqul Alam promoted to senior secretary".
27. (2025-02-18). "Chief adviser's press secretary promoted to senior secy".
28. (8 August 2024). "A look back at caretaker governments throughout the years".
29. (22 October 2013). "Non-party caretaker". The Daily Star.
30. (9 March 2008). "The chief adviser's education promises". The Daily Star.