Abdul Bari, the BNP’s (BAngladesh Nationalist Party) assistant secretary for religious affairs, had sought the party’s nomination in the 13th parliamentary election from Netrokona-2 (Sadar–Barhatta).
He did not get the nomination. Last month, however, the BNP government appointed him chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC).
The decision to place the party’s assistant secretary for religious affairs at the helm of an organisation responsible for inland water transport has raised a question: Is the BNP government using positions in state-run organisations to accommodate party leaders who were denied nominations or positions within the party?
BIWTC is not the only example. At least 11 party leaders have been appointed to head various state-run organisations. In addition, party leaders have been appointed as administrators of 63 district councils and 11 city corporations.
District councils and city corporations are political bodies whose chairpersons and mayors are elected. But the chairpersons or managing directors of state-run organisations are not elected; they are appointed by the government.
According to the Ministry of Public Administration, politicians were appointed to senior positions in several government institutions, including the Bangladesh Rural Development Board, as early as 1972, soon after independence. Similar appointments were made under successive governments, but generally on a limited scale.
