On 8 May, former President Abdul Hamid departed for Bangkok to seek advanced medical treatment. Before travelling, he was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital, where a medical board diagnosed him with cancer and recommended treatment abroad. Following protocol, Hamid informed all government departments concerned and availed himself of his entitled VIP privileges at the airport.
Until this point, everything followed due process. But the next day, at an event in Gazipur, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury made a shocking statement. He said he knew nothing about the former president’s “escape” and threatened to resign unless those who “aided the escape” were punished within 24 hours.
This declaration triggered chaos: three immigration officers were immediately suspended, a high-level investigation was launched, and the media went into overdrive. Was Hamid fleeing the country, or did he leave with proper authorisation? None of the advisers accepted responsibility; instead, they tried to deflect blame onto President Md Shahabuddin. That attempt also fell flat. Eventually, the home adviser announced his intention to bring back Abdul Hamid via Interpol – an astounding move considering no arrest warrant had been issued.
The situation grew even more absurd on 8 June when Hamid returned to Dhaka on the same flight he had left on, using the same VIP protocol. Dressed in the same shirt and lungi he wore when leaving, visibly frail and ill, he quietly re-entered the country. If he had indeed “fled”, why wasn’t he arrested on arrival? If there was a murder case against him, as claimed by the home adviser and others, why was he not taken into custody? Later, the adviser clarified that there was no arrest warrant, just an ongoing investigation. Then why all the fuss?
This is a textbook example of how the current government’s advisers are sowing confusion and discrediting the interim administration. Their recklessness, contradictions, and lack of accountability have made the government appear not just biased but laughably incompetent. It is, in many ways, a continuation of the dysfunction seen during the waning days of the Awami League.
Many will recall the outlandish and often offensive remarks of former ministers like Obaidul Quader, Hasan Mahmud, and Mohammad Ali Arafat – comments that not only entertained but ultimately alienated the public. Today, some advisers are following the same script: speaking without restraint, contradicting one another, and stepping far beyond their mandates. Their behaviour has not only made them personally controversial but has also tarnished the credibility of the government they serve.
Take Asif Mahmud, the local government, for instance – a former student leader credited with a key role in the July revolution. Initially tasked with youth affairs, he was later handed the high-stakes local government portfolio. Since then, he has been embroiled in one controversy after another. His former assistant private secretary is facing allegations of embezzling Tk600 crore. When a tribunal issued a ruling against the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, he failed to enforce it, giving opposition movements room to escalate. The matter now lies with the Appellate Division, which has forwarded it to the Election Commission – yet the adviser remains immobile, exacerbating unrest and disorder.
During Eid-ul-Azha, the ministry of local government promised to clear all city waste within 24 hours. While Dhaka North managed to maintain a reasonable standard, the South remains buried under garbage – largely due to the paralysis of the city corporation. The failure reflects directly on the local government adviser. Citizens are left wondering whose interests he is actually serving.
This government’s neutrality is increasingly under suspicion. Even the issue of rawhide pricing during Eid turned into a fiasco. Commerce adviser reassured citizens that prices would be protected, yet sellers faced the lowest rates in a decade. Industries adviser blamed syndicates, while commerce adviser claimed prices were actually higher this year – an obvious contradiction. Such statements reek of irresponsibility and fuel public frustration.
The environment adviser also made headlines for vowing a crackdown on polythene. Today, polythene is freely sold everywhere, and his campaign has quietly evaporated into thin air.
Even more troubling was the arrest of Awami League leader Selina Hayat Ivy in Narayanganj – reportedly without a warrant – followed by the sudden filing of a murder case against her. This incident has intensified anti-government agitation and emboldened opposition groups such as the National Citizens’ Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Hefazat-e-Islam, who have gone so far as to demand a ban on the Awami League’s political activity until the July massacre cases are fully resolved.
In the midst of all this, the advisers’ behaviour is dragging the interim government further into crisis. Their mixed messaging, stubbornness, and administrative inertia are directly responsible for the growing public perception that this is not a neutral or competent government.
It is high time the chief adviser took notice. The public expects those in government to behave responsibly, understanding that their words reflect official policy – not personal opinion. When advisers speak recklessly or act incompetently, they not only damage the interim government’s credibility – they endanger the integrity of the July revolution that brought them to power.
To ensure a free and fair election, the chief adviser must urgently reshuffle the advisory council. Those who are unqualified, biased, or incapable of fulfilling their duties must be removed. Only then can the interim government present a truly neutral face to the public – and avoid slipping into the same pit of dysfunction as its predecessor.
The writer is a playwright and columnist. Email: [email protected]
