Foreign Citizen Appointed as State Minister, Supreme Court Silent Despite Constitutional Breach

Staff Reporter

In September last year, Ashiq Chowdhury, also known as Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud Bin Harun, was appointed as the executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA). On April 7, he was granted the rank of a state minister, creating a stir.

Questions had already been raised over appointing a foreign citizen to lead an important government agency in violation of the Constitution. Initially granted senior secretary status, he has now been elevated to state minister.

A notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday, April 7, signed by Zaheda Parveen on behalf of the President, announced that Ashiq Chowdhury would enjoy the rank, salary, allowances, and privileges of a state minister during his tenure.

According to information retrieved from the UK government’s Company Information Service database, Ashiq Chowdhury is listed as a director of 9RAVEN (UK) LIMITED (Company Number: 11873801) and holds British citizenship. The company’s address is 9 Raven Drive, Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom, SL6 8AE. Chowdhury has served as a director since March 11, 2019.

Further investigation revealed that Ashiq Chowdhury formally took an oath of allegiance to the British Crown in 2017 in Berkshire County, pledging lifelong loyalty and service to the British government. He owns a house in Berkshire, which is currently rented out.

Meanwhile, Ali Riaz, an American citizen, has been serving as the head of the Constitutional Reform Commission, drawing widespread criticism. With the appointment of Ashiq Chowdhury, another foreign national, as a state minister, the Constitution appears to have been disregarded.

Article 66(2)(c) of Bangladesh’s Constitution states that foreign citizens are ineligible to serve as members of Parliament or ministers. Dual citizens may only hold such positions after renouncing foreign citizenship. While his role as BIDA’s executive chairman was not unconstitutional due to his salaried status, his elevation to state minister directly conflicts with constitutional provisions.

During the previous government’s tenure, Taqsem A. Khan, a foreign citizen, served as the managing director of WASA but was not granted the rank of minister or state minister. Foreign nationals may be eligible for such positions if they renounce foreign citizenship and meet other criteria.

Critics have raised concerns over Ashiq Chowdhury’s eligibility for the role of state minister, questioning whether he has renounced his British citizenship, as no such information has been disclosed.

Netizens have questioned the qualifications of a British citizen and banker-businessman to head a Bangladeshi government agency and assume a ministerial role. Many allege that Ashiq Chowdhury earned this appointment due to his association with Dr. Muhammad Yunus as an advisor to Grameen Telecom Trust.

Repeated constitutional violations and controversial decisions by the interim government have sparked widespread public discontent. Citizens are voicing strong reactions against perceived disregard for constitutional principles.