‘Politically appointed’ 62 directors, including Power Cell DG, removed from power and energy entities’ boards
Mohammad Hossain, the director general of Power Cell, who had been serving on a political appointment for more than 10 years, was relieved of his duties two days ago
Logo of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. Photo: Courtesy
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Logo of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. Photo: Courtesy
A total of 62 directors, who were allegedly appointed due to their political affiliations, including the Director General of Power Cell, have been removed from various companies under the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources.
“Today we removed a total of 35 directors from the board of directors of different companies’ under Power Division who were picked up on political choice. Of these, 17 are from generation companies and 18 are from transmission and distribution companies,” Habibur Rahman, senior secretary of the Power Division, told UNB.
He noted that Mohammad Hossain, the director general of Power Cell, who had been serving on a political appointment for more than 10 years, was relieved of his duties two days ago.
Habibur mentioned that the Chairman of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and the managing directors of various companies, who are also serving on a contractual basis, remain in their respective posts. Their removal requires the approval of the board of directors and the government’s highest-level decision.
It is noteworthy that the interim government’s Chief Adviser, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, has directed all ministries to cancel all contractual appointments immediately.
Earlier, following this directive, 26 directors were removed from the boards of 13 companies under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the ministry. This was communicated through a letter signed by Mohammad Farooq Hossain, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, on Saturday.
According to the letter, these 26 directors were removed until further notice. The order is effective immediately.
The officials removed from their directorial positions include Rokan Ul Hasan, private secretary to the former State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid; his personal assistant Mohammad Mujahidul Islam; former Additional Secretary Humayun Kabir Lashkar; former Member of Parliament Farida Akhtar Hira; former Additional Secretary Dr. Kazi Anwarul Haque; Executive Director of Thengamara Mahila Sabuj Sangh, Professor Dr. Hosne Ara Begum; Director of the Prime Minister’s Office, Jazreen Nahar; former Private Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister, Al Mamun Murshed; former Private Secretary-1 to the Prime Minister, Monira Begum; Director General-3 Mohammad Asaduzzaman; former Advisor to the Prime Minister on Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Taufiq E. Elahi Chowdhury’s Private Secretary, Muktadir Aziz; the Ministry’s Deputy Chief Information Officer, Mir Mohammad Aslam Uddin; journalist Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul; former Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ismat Mahmuda; and Jubo Mahila League General Secretary, Sharmin Sultana Lilly.
Additionally, 11 other individuals, most of whom are involved in Awami League politics, have been removed from directorship positions in various companies in the energy sector.
The companies affected under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division include: Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL), Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (JGTDCL), Pashchimanchal Gas Company Limited (PGCL), Sundarban Gas Company Limited (SGCL), Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KDCL), Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited (BGDCL), Bangladesh Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX), Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Limited (TGTDCL), Rupantarito Natural Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), Jamuna Oil Company Limited (JOCL), Padma Oil Company Limited (POCL), and Meghna Petroleum Limited (MPL).
