Names to EC search panel: Ex-bureaucrats figure high
Almost one third of the individuals recommended to be in the next Election Commission are former bureaucrats.
Names of 322 individuals pitched to be the chief election commissioner and four other election commissioners were published on the website of the Cabinet Division last night.
The names of at least three individuals have been mentioned twice due to what appears to be an oversight.
Some of those interested to be in the commission sent their own names while the others named on the list are nominated by political parties and professional associations.
At least 100 of them are former bureaucrats.
Some of the major opposition parties boycotted the EC formation process and didn't make any recommendations.
"Publishing all the names is a good step. But the final nominations should also be published for the sake of transparency," former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder told The Daily Star yesterday.
The second highest number of nominees are from academia: 51 of the individuals recommended are former vice-chancellors and professors.
At least 42 former judges, including one former chief justice, and 24 lawyers are also on the list.
No one from the judiciary helmed the Election Commission since 2007. The country's first six ECs were headed by former judges.
Former bureaucrat Mohammad Abu Hena was appointed the 7th CEC in 1996.
Former justice MA Aziz was appointed the 8th CEC in 2006, but that commission was dissolved amid widespread protests by the opposition parties.
All the successive CECs were former bureaucrats.
In 2007, Brig Gen (retd) Shakhawat Hossain became the first individual with a military background to be an election commissioner.
On the list published last night, there are around 25 former military officials, including two former army chiefs.
The Election Commission dissolved yesterday had the first woman commissioner in the country's history. The new recommendations include 31 women, including rights activists, writers, lawyers, entrepreneurs and a fashion designer.
The names of nine former top police officials and seven physicians are also on the list.
Names of freedom fighters, a former minister, advisers to caretaker governments, former diplomats, former election commissioners, Bangladesh Bank governors, economists, journalists, rights activists, professional association leaders, business leaders, expatriates, freelance consultants, and madrassa teachers were also on the list.
The Cabinet Division disclosed the names after eminent citizens suggested the search committee publish the names. The citizens also requested that the final picks be made public before sending those to the president.
The Cabinet Division, which is giving secretariat support to the panel, did not disclose which party proposed whose names.
The previous two search committees, formed in 2012 and 2017, did not disclose any names, ignoring demands from political parties.
The Cabinet Division earlier announced that the search committee received names of 322 people. Of them, 136 names came from political parties, 40 from professional bodies, and 34 from individuals. Ninety-nine names were sent via email.
The six-member search committee was formed under newly framed "Appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners Act-2022" on February 5. The panel will propose 10 names to the president by February 24. The president will finally pick five for the EC posts, according to the law.
At Saturday's meeting between the search committee members and eminent citizens, some suggested the panel take an initiative to include the parties that have not recommended any names.
The panel had written to all the 39 registered political parties urging them to submit their nominations by February 11, but only 24 parties complied.
The previous search committee, formed in 2017, asked 31 political parties to propose five names each. In response, 26 parties, including the BNP and its allies, proposed 125 names. This time, the search committee sought 10 names from each party.
The number of the proposed nominations could be increased as the search committee will hold another series of talks with media personalities and eminent citizens today at the Supreme Court Judges' lounge.
The names proposed for EC posts
Ajoy Dasgupta, journalist; Md Abdul Motaleb Mia, lawyer; Sultana Kamal, human rights activist; Prof M Shamim Z Bosunia, former president, the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh; Prof Abdul Mannan Choudhury, vice-chancellor, World University; Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, writer and academician; Prof Abdul Mannan, former chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC); Prof AKM Mostofa Zaman; Zakia Parveen, professor, Dhaka University; Abu Saleh Mahfuzul Bari, professor, Bangladesh Agricultural University; Abdul Awwal Biswas, professor, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology; AA Mamun, professor, Jahangirnagar University; Kazi SM Khasrul Alam Quddusi, professor, Chittagong University; Golam Rahman, former chief information commissioner; Nazma Shaheen, professor, Dhaka University; Md Kamal Uddin, professor, Dhaka University; Md Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan, professor, Dhaka University; Md Mizanur Rahman, professor, Dhaka University; Md Rahmat Ullah, professor, Dhaka University; Md Saiduzzaman, professor, Rajshahi University; Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, prominent writer; Sarker Ali Akkas, professor, Jagannath University; Prof Harun-or-Rashid, former vice-chancellor, National University; Prof Dr Jahurul Alam, academician and researcher; Prof Dr Kazi Deen Mohammad; Prof Dr Salimur Rahmabn, former chairman, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University; Prof Dr Sufia Rahman, former adviser, caretaker government; Syed Manzoorul Islam, professor, Dhaka University; Ashok Kumar Biswas, former secretary; A A M S Arefin Siddique, former vice chancellor of Dhaka University; Akhtari Momtaj, former secretary; Anisur Rahman, former senior secretary; Abdur Rashid, former judge; Abu Alam Shahid Khan, former secretary; Abu Bakar Siddiqui, former judge; Abul Hasem, lawyer; Uzzawal Bikash Dutta, former secretary; AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury, former judge; Shah Md Khasruzzaman, senior lawyer of Supreme Court; M Hasan Imam, former District and Sessions judge; SM Abdul Wahab (freedom fighter), former joint secretary; SM Harun-Or-rashid, former special acting officer (Grade-1); Air Commander Ishfaque Islam Chowdhury, treasurer of Asia pacific University; Air Commandar Shafique Elahi, registrar of East West University; Kazi Golam Mostafa, director of KB Enterprise Mymensingh; Kazi Rowshan Akter, former senior secretary; Kazi Riazul Haque, former chairman of National Human Rights Commission; Kazi Habibul Awal, former senior secretary; Kamrun Nahar, former secretary; Krishibid Iqbal Bahar, former additional IGP; Krishibid AKM Saidul Haque Chowdhury, former vice chancellor of Noakhali Science and Technology University; Krishibid Wares Kabir, former executive chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council; Krishibid Md Afzal, former professor, BSMMU; Krishibid Prof Nitish Chandra Debnath, former vice chancellor of Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Science University; Krishibid Prof Md Monzurul Alam, former professor of Bangladesh Agriculture University; Krishibid Mir Shahidul Islam, former additional IGP; Krishibid Md Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, former professor BAU; Krishibid Md Nurul Islam, former secretary; Mukhlesur Rahman, former additional IGP; Khan Md Abdul Mannan, former session judge; Khandakar Mizanur Rahman, former joint secretary; Khandakar Mohammad Asaduzzaman, former secretary; Khandkar Hasan Shahriar, advocate, Gazi Md Mohsin, advocate, Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, chairman of Adcomm Ltd, Sohul Hossain, former election commissioner, Jalal Ahmed, former additional secretary; Gen Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, former army chief, Apurup Chowdhury, former secretary; Ashoke Madhab Roy, former secretary, Abdullah Shahadat Khan, lawyer; Abdul Malek Mia, former secretary; Abdul Matin, chairperson of EDAB; Abdul Halim, lawyer; Abu Sayeed Khan, journalist and writer; Abdul Malek, former senior information secretary; Abus Samad, former senior secretary; Abul Kalam Azad, former principal secretary, Ashraf Ali, who lives abroad, Ikram Ahmed, former chairman of PSC; Illias Kanchan, chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai; Israil Hossain, former additional secretary, AAM Moniruzzaman, lawyer; AHM Sadiqul Haq, former chairman of land reform board, AKM Shamsul Islam, former registrar general; AFM Ismail Chowdhury, chairman of international peace and solidarity foundation; ALM Abdur Rahman, former secretary; AKM Shahidul Haque, former IGP; Ejajur Rasel, lawyer, MK Rahman, former additional attorney general; M Janibul Haq, former additional secretary; M Shakhawat Hussain, former election commissioner; MA Hannan, former ambassador, M Nazim Uddin Al-Azad, former minister, M Mosaddek Hossain, managing director of Unimed Unihealth Group, SM Rezaul Karim, lawyer; SM Harun-ur-Rashid, former director general of BTV; SM Abdul Wahab, former joint secretary, Kalachand Mandal, former additional secretary; Jyoti Bikash Borua, freelance consultant; Zillar Rahman, former secretary, Maj Gen (retd) Jamil D Ahsan; Jesmin Tuli, former additional secretary; Johurul Alam, former professor; M Shamser Ali, educationist; Tofail Ahmed, local government expert; M Nasir Uddin, Tarik-ul-Islam, former secretary; Nazibur Rahman, former principal secretary, Firoza Aktar, poet; Foyez Ahmed Bhuiyan, former additional secretary; Brig Gen (retd) Saidur Rahman Khan; Belayet Hossain, former district judge, Mahbub Hossain, former additional IGP, Mikail Shipar, former secretary, Mesbaul Alam, former senior secretary, Abdul Mazid, former district judge, Abu Bakar Siddiqui Khan, lawyer; Abul Kashem; former joint secretary; Md Yusuf, former additional secretary; Janibul Haque, former additional secretary; Dalil Uddin, member, Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority; Nasir Uddin Ahmed, former secretary; Mustafizur Rahman, former additional secretary; Md Rafiuzzaman, tourism expert and travel agent; Shahjahan Ali Mollah, former secretary; Sirajul Islam, former senior secretary; Mustafizur Rahman, former secretary; Mostafa Kamal, former secretary; Mostafa Kamal Uddin, former senior secretary; Md Abdul Mobarak, former election commissioner; Md Abdul Karim, former principal secretary; Md Altaf Hossain, senior district and sessions judge; Md Jamil Khan, Supreme Court lawyer; Md Jasim Uddin, FBCCI president; Md Majibur Rahman, tax consultant; Majibur Rahman Mujib, who lives abroad; Md Safiul Azam, former district and sessions judge; Md Iqbal Sohabhan, journalist; Md Mahfuzur Rahman, former additional secretary; Akbar Hossain Mridha, former district and sessions judge; Anisur Rahman, former senior secretary; Anwarul Islam Shikder, former secretary; Ansar Ali Khan, former secretary; Aftab Uddin, district and sessions judge; Abdul Majid, former district and sessions judge; Md Abdul Hai, former district and sessions judge; Abdul Motalib Miah, secretary of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Barguna; Abdus Samad, former district and sessions judge; Abul Hashem, lawyer; Md Aminul Islam Bulu, convener, Janaswartha Raksha Jatiya Committee; Md Alamgir, former senior secretary; Md Iqbal Hossain, CACC; Idris Miah, former secretary; Wasiuzzaman Akandh, former director, Department of Agricultural Extension; Kamal Uddin Talukder, former secretary; Kuddus Khan, former secretary; Golam Mostafa, lawyer; Nur-ur Rahman, former secretary, Nurun Nabi Talukder, former secretary; Nurul Islam Chowdhury, lawyer; Md Nurul Huda, former district and sessions judge; Mhabubur Rahman Dulal; Manjur Kader Khan, former DIG; Shamsul Arefin Arif, consultant; Shahjahan Miah, former additional secretary; Md Shahiduzzaman, former secretary; Humayun Khalid, former secretary; Rawnak Mahmud, former secretary; Roqsana Quader, former additional secretary; Shyamal Kanti Ghosh, former secretary; Shamsun Nahar Begum, former district and sessions judge; Shahdat Hossain, president, ICB; Sheikh Bashiruddin, managing director, Akij Group; Swapan Kumar Sarker, rights activist; Brig Gen (retd) Saidur Rahman Khan, Sayeed Mahemen Baksh Kallol, Supreme Court lawyer; Shakhawat Khan, country director of UAE-based financing firm; Sirajul Haque Khan, former secretary; Selima Khatun, former special assistant to PM; Syed Enayet Hossain, former district and sessions judge; Syed JR Modassir Hossain, former chief justice; Helal Uddin Ahmed, former secretary; Helal Kabir Chowdhury, editorial consultant; Hossain Shaheed Ahmad, former senior district judge; Dr Atiur Rahman, economist; Dr Anwara Begum, former member of Bangladesh Public Service Commission; Dr Afroza Parveen, former joint secretary; Dr Abdullah Al Maruf, professor of Dhaka University; Dr Ahsan Mansur, economist; Dr AKM Akhtarul Kabir, lawyer of Supreme Court; Dr AKM Abul Kashem, senior district and sessions judge; Dr Joty Prokash Dutta, professor (LPR) of Chittagong University; Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, former senior secretary; Dr Dalem Chandra Barman; Dr Tasneem Siddiqi, professor of Political Science at Dhaka University; Dr Tofail Ahmed, local government expert; Dr Nazma Shaheen, professor of Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University; Dr Nazrul Islam Al Maruf Al Madani, principal of Mohakhali Darul Ulum Hossainia Madrasa Banani; Dr Binayak Sen, director general of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS); Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shujan; Dr Mihir Kanti Majumder, former secretary; Dr Meghna Guhathakurta, teacher; Dr Md Shajahan, lawyer of Supreme Court; Dr Mohammad Abdul Majid, former secretary and former chairman of NBR; Dr Mohammad Zakaria, former additional secretary; Dr Mohammad Zakaria, former secretary; Dr Mohammad Farasuddin, former governor; Dr Muhammed Sadique, former chairman of Bangladesh Public Service Commission; Dr Md Abdul Alim, senior director of Election Programme, Dhaka; Dr Md Shajahan, retired senior district and sessions judge; Dr Md Sultan Mahmud, pro-vice chancellor of University of Asia Pacific; Dr Shahdeen Malik, advocate of Supreme Court; Dr Saiful Islam Dildar, secretary general of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission; Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad; Dr Nazmun Nahar, former child specialist and director general of Birdem Hospital; Dr Sarwar Ali, former chairman of Bangladesh Medical Association; Dr Mohammad Nasimul Islam, doctor; Dr Md Siraj Doula, former joint secretary; Dr HM Moniruzzaman, lawyer; Dr Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman, former secretary general of Bangladesh Medical Association; Dewan Md Shafiullah, district and sessions judge; Prof Dr Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, former professor of Dhaka university; Prof Dr SM Anwara Begum, former member of Bangladesh Public Service Commission; Prof Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, former VC of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur; Prof Dr Farida Adib Khanom, former member of Bangladesh Public Service Commission; Prof Dr Abdul Awal, retired professor of SUST; Prof Dr Manju, academician and researcher; Prof Nasrin Ahmed, former pro-VC of Dhaka University; Prashanta Kumar Das, bank executive; Prof Sadeka Halim, former information commissioner; Fauzia Moslem; Brig Gen (retd) Selim Mahmud Chowdhury, former army officer; Brig Gen (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan, former vice chairman of BTRC; Brig Gen (retd) Md Refayet Ullah, former dean of BUP; Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Al-Azahar, former army officer; Brig Gen (retd) Abdus Sobhan Sadeq, former army officer; Abu Bakar, former judge; Abu Bakar Siddique, former judge; Nazmun Ara Sultana, former judge; Borhan Uddin, former judge; Moinul Islam Chowdhury, former judge; Musa Khaled, former judge; Syed Mahmud Hossain, former chief justice; Bibi Russel, fashion designer; Biswas Lutfar Rahman, former joint secretary; SM Anwara Begum, professor of Jagannath University; Abu Sayeed Khan, journalist; Abdul Malek Mia, former secretary; Kabir Ahmed; former president of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh; Mahmudul Haq, former brigadier general; Ansar Ali Khan, former additional secretary; Fazlul Karim, former deputy secretary; Sarwar Hossain, former additional secretary; Bheem Charan Roy, former additional secretary; Shamser Kabir Chowdhury, Majharul Haq Khandokar, juris doctor (JD); Krishna Devnath, former judge; Rashida Sultana, district judge; Monira Khan, former FEMA president; Abu Naser Md Ilias, former major general; ANM Muniruzzaman, former major general; Salehuazaman, former major general and managing director of Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory; Abu Naser Md Ilias, former major general; Abdul Bari, former major general; Mounul Islam, former chairman of REB; Maj Gen Md Masud Rezwan; Maj Gen Mohammad Al Shikdar; Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam; Maj Gen Shakhawat Hossain;Harun-Ar-Rashid, former army chief; Abul Kashem, former joint secretary; Momtaz Uddin Ahmed, former judge; Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, former cabinet secretary; Justice Monsurul Haque Chowdhury; Mushfika Ikfat, former secretary; Md Abdul Mannan, former secretary; Md Gazi Rahman, senior district and sessions judge; Md Jahangir Molla, former additional secretary; Md Fakhruddin, former district and sessions judge; Md Faizur Rahman, retired secretary; Md Badrul Islam, lawyer of Supreme Court; Md Rafiqul Islam, former joint secretary general of FBCCI; Md Shamsul Haque, former district and sessions judge; Md Shah Alam Mia, lawyer; Md Shahiduzzaman, former senior secretary; Md Shafiqul Islam, retired district and sessions judge; Md Habibur Rahman, retired IGP; Rasheda K Chowdhury, former advisor to caretaker government; Rokeya Kabir, woman leader; Rokon-ud-Dowla, retired additional secretary; Lt Gen Md Shafiqur Rahman, former military officer; Lt Col (retd) Kazi Sazzad Ali Jahir, Bir Pratik; Lt Gen Jafarullah Siddique, former DGMS of Bangladesh Army; Shaikhul Hadidth Allama Kazi Moinuddin Ashrafi, principal of Sobhania Kamil Madrasa, Chattogram; Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, former judge; Sheikh Wahiduzzaman, chairman of Janata Bank; Selina Hosen, Bangla Academy president; Syed Mizanur Rahman, lawyer; Hazi Md Shah Alam Mia, lawyer; Hedayetullah Al Mamun, former senior secretary; Humayun Kabir, former ambassador; Abdul Wahab Mia, former judge; Abdul Majid, former judge; Farid Ahmed, former judge; Maolana Mahmudul Hasan, principal of Jatrabari Madrasa; Abdul Latif Masum, former vice chancellor, Patuakhali Science and Technology University; former district judge Asgor Ali; former cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam; former IGP Shahidul Islam; former bureaucrats Shamsuddoha; former tax commissioner Dabed-Al-Sad; teacher Lindsey Ribeiro; former Air Chief Air Marshal (retd.) Fakhrul Azam; Saiful Islam Siddique, journalist; former IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandaker; former bureaucrat Md Mohibul Haque; former additional IGP Meer Shahidul Islam; former bureaucrat Nazim Uddin Chowdhury; and former bureaucrat Faizur Rahman Chowdhury.
The Daily Star could not verify all the posts and correct spellings of the individuals mentioned above.