- Iajuddin Ahmed
-
Iajuddin Ahmed
ইয়াজউদ্দিন আহম্মেদPresident of Bangladesh In office
6 September 2002 – 12 February 2009Prime Minister Khaleda Zia
Fazlul Haque (Acting)
Fakhruddin Ahmed (Acting)
Hasina WazedPreceded by Muhammad Jamiruddin Sarkar Succeeded by Zillur Rahman Prime Minister of Bangladesh
ActingIn office
29 October 2006 – 11 January 2007Preceded by Khaleda Zia Succeeded by Fazlul Haque (Acting) Personal details Born 28 February 1931
Bikrampur, British Raj (now Bangladesh)Political party Independent Alma mater University of Dhaka
University of Wisconsin, MadisonReligion Sunni Islam Iajuddin Ahmed (Bengali: ইয়াজউদ্দিন আহম্মেদ) (born February 1, 1931) was President of Bangladesh from 2002 to 2009.
Contents
Early life
Ahmed was born in Bikrampur of Dhaka District, erstwhile Bengal province, British India (now Munshiganj District, Bangladesh). As the son of Moulvi Ibrahim Mia, Ahmed obtained his B.Sc. and M.S. at the University of Dhaka in 1952 and 1954 respectively and later received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 1958 and 1962 respectively from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States.[1]
Teaching
Returning to his former university, he joined the University of Dhaka as an assistant professor in the Department of Soil Science. He moved up in the ranks until he became a full professor in the department. He held the post of chairman of the Soil Science Department of Dhaka University and dean of the Faculty of Biological Science of the same University. He was also provost of Salimullah Muslim Hall.
Ahmed was responsible for inventing a process of preserving nutrients in the soil and later releasing them according to the needs of the vegetation. Professor Ahmed also worked as visiting professor in Cornell University in the United States in 1984 and the German Technical University and University of Göttingen in Germany in 1984. Ahmed and his current wife, Dr. Anwara Begum, have one child, son Imtaz; he has two others, daughter Susan and son Adam, by a prior marriage. He also has a granddaughter Aurora and Beryl. [1]
Political career
Prof. Ahmed was an adviser in the caretaker government in 1991. He was also chairman of the Public Service Commission from 1991 to 1993 and chairman of the University Grants Commission from 1995 to 1999.[1] During '90 Prof. Ahmed was the president of Federation of University Teachers Association in Bangladesh (FUTA) and led the Anti-autocratic movement.
Presidency
Ahmed became President of Bangladesh in 2002 after becoming the only candidate to register for presidential elections.
Bypass operation
On the afternoon of May 23, 2006, President Iajuddin Ahmed was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. Sources at the CMH said he was seriously ill and was under the observation of a team of elite doctors. On their advice President Ahmed was taken to Singapore on Wednesday, May 24, 2006. The 75-year-old president underwent a successful by-pass heart operation at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.[2]
Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government
Ahmed was sworn in as the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government at 8.00 pm (Bangladesh standard time) on October 29, 2006 after the main political parties failed to agree on a candidate. This move created controversy as the opposition parties alleged that the constitutional guideline on recruitment of the Chief Adviser was not properly followed. He was supposed to serve in an interim capacity to oversee the forthcoming elections, planned for January 22, 2007, while remaining president. The Awami League, headed by Sheikh Hasina, and its allies opposed Ahmed as head of the caretaker government, alleging that he favoured Khaleda Zia and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and demanded his resignation from this position. The Awami League and its allies announced that they would boycott the election. Four important advisors of his caretaker cabinet resigned in December 2006, accusing the Chief Adviser of making the decision of Army deployment while ignoring the advisor council's recommendation against it.[3]
Resignation as Chief Advisor
On January 11, 2007 Iajuddin Ahmed resigned from his position as Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government, admitted the failure of the Election Commission and his government in creating a proper atmosphere for the election, bestowed the responsibility on Former Justice Fazlul Haque temporarily, abolished the board of advisors and announced a state of emergency from that day until further announcement.[4] The next day, Ahmed appointed Fakhruddin Ahmed to be the new chief advisor.
Although his term as President was due to end on September 5, 2007, it was announced on that date that he would remain in office until after the election of a new parliament (planned to be held by late 2008), which was to in turn elect a president, as the constitution provides for the president to remain in office until the election of a successor.[5]
He left office on February 12, 2009, when Awami League leader Zillur Rahman was sworn in to succeed him as President of Bangladesh.
References
- ^ a b c Ministry of Foreign Affairs Official Biography
- ^ The Daily Star Web Edition Volume #5
- ^ "Is Bangladesh heading towards disaster?". BBC. 2007-01-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6241263.stm. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
- ^ "Presidential Speech" BTV News, January 12, 2007.
- ^ "Bangladesh president's term will continue until successor chosen, government says", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), September 5, 2007.
Political offices Preceded by
Muhammad Jamiruddin SarkarPresident of Bangladesh
2004–2009Succeeded by
Zillur RahmanPreceded by
Khaleda ZiaPrime Minister of Bangladesh
Acting
2006–2007Succeeded by
Fazlul Haque
ActingPreceded by
Morshed KhanMinister of Foreign Affairs
2006–2007Succeeded by
Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury|}
Presidents of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman · Syed Nazrul Islam† · Abu Sayeed Chowdhury · Mohammad Ullah · Sheikh Mujibur Rahman · Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad · Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem · Ziaur Rahman · Abdus Sattar · Hussain Muhammad Ershad · A. F. M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury · Hussain Muhammad Ershad · Shahabuddin AhmedI · Abdur Rahman Biswas · Shahabuddin Ahmed · A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury · Jamiruddin SircarI · Iajuddin Ahmed · Zillur Rahman(I) interim · (†)actingPrime Ministers of Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmad · Sheikh Mujibur Rahman · Muhammad Mansur Ali · Shah Azizur Rahman · Ataur Rahman Khan · Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury · Moudud Ahmed · Kazi Zafar Ahmed · Khaleda Zia · Muhammad Habibur Rahman · Sheikh Hasina · Latifur Rahman · Khaleda Zia · Iajuddin Ahmed · Fazlul Haquei · Fakhruddin Ahmedi · Sheikh Hasina(i) interimCategories:- Presidents of Bangladesh
- Prime Ministers of Bangladesh
- 1931 births
- University of Dhaka alumni
- Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh
- Living people
- University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
- People from Bikrampur
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