The government has formed five more new commissions to carry out reforms in the areas of media, health, labour rights, women’s affairs and local government.
Senior journalist Kamal Ahmed will lead the commission on media, while Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed for the commission on labour rights, Professor Tofail Ahmed for commission for local government, Shireen Parveen Haque for women’s affairs and Professor Dr AK Azad Khan for health.
The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notifications to this end on Sunday.
The chiefs and the members of the commissions will get status and salary and enjoy benefits to be determined by the government. However, if any one of them wants to work voluntarily, without taking benefits, he or she must take permission from the chief adviser.
The 11-member Media Reform Commission is tasked with submitting its report to Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus within the next 90 days, as per a summary document issued on Sunday to the Chief Adviser's Officer from the cabinet division.
The other members in the commission are Gitiara Nasreen, a professor at Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University; Shamsul Haque Zahid, editor of The Financial Express; Akhtar Hossain Khan, secretary of the Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB); Syed Abdal Ahmed, former general secretary of the National Press Club; Fahim Ahmed, chief executive officer of Jamuna TV and a trustee of Broadcast Journalism Centre; Jimi Amir, journalist and convener of Media Support Network; Mostafa Shabuj, Bogura correspondent for The Daily Star; Titu Datta, deputy editor at The Business Standard; a representative from the Association of Television Channel Owners (ATCO); Abdullah Al Mamun, a student representative.
Led by Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, executive director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, the other members of the 10-member Labour Reform Commission are- Dr Mahfuzul Haque, former secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Dr Jakir Hossain, professor at the Institute of Bangladesh Studies at Rajshahi University, Tapan Dutta, president of the Chattogram divisional committee of the Bangladesh Trade Union Centre; Advocate AKM Nasim, former president of Bangladesh Labour Court Bar Association; M Kamran T Rahman, former president of Bangladesh Employer Federation; Chowdhury Ashikul Alam, president of Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha; Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, general secretary of Bangladesh Labour Federation; Taslima Akhter, photographer and labour movement organiser and one student representative.
The commission will start its works soon and after taking opinions from all stakeholders concerned, it will submit its report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus within 90 days, the notification said.
Led by Professor Tofail Ahmed, former chairman of Public Administration Department at Chittagong University; the other members of the eight-member Local Government Reform Commission are- Professor Dr Ferdous Arfina Osman, former chairman of Public Administration Department at Dhaka University; AMM Nasir Uddin, former secretary; Advocate Abdur Rahman, Supreme Court; Dr Mahfuz Kabir, a director at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS); Mashuda Khatun Shefali, executive director of Nari Uddug Kendra; Professor Dr Md Tariqul Islam, a teacher of Government and Politics Department at Jahangirnagar University; and a student representative.
Led by Professor AK Azad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Diabetic Association (BADAS); the other members of Health Sector Reform Commission are- Professor Dr. Mohammad Zakir Hossain of the Public Health and Health Informatics Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University; Pathikrit Foundation Chairman Professor Liaquat Ali; gynecologist Professor Dr. Sayeba Akhter; pediatric neurologist Professor Dr. Naila Zaman Khan; former secretary ML Reza; former regional adviser to the World Health Organization Professor Dr. Mozaherul Haque; Dr. Azharul Islam of icddr,b; Professor Dr. Syed Mohammad Akram Hossain of Square Cancer Center at Square Hospital; Professor Dr. Syed Atiqul Haque of Green Life Centre for Rheumatic Care and Research; Dr. Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, scientist in the Maternal and Child Health Division at icddr,b; and Umayer Afif, a fifth-year medical student at Dhaka Medical College.
Led by Shireen Parveen Haque, a founding member of Nari Pokkho, the other members of the Women's Affairs Reform Commission are- Maheen Sultan, senior fellow at Brac Institute of Governance and Development; Sara Hossain, executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast); Fawzia Karim Firoze, president of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association; Kalpona Akter, president of Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation; Halida Hanum Akhter, women's health expert; Sumaiya Islam, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra; Nirupa Dewan, former member of National Human Rights Commission; Ferdousi Sultana, former senior social development advisor of Asian Development Bank; and Nishita Zaman Niha, a student representative.
