Farida Akhter
Farida Akhter | |
|---|---|
Farida Akhter in 2024 | |
| Adviser for Fisheries and Livestock | |
| Assumed office 9 August 2024 | |
| President | Mohammed Shahabuddin |
| Chief Adviser | Muhammad Yunus |
| Preceded by | Abdur Rahman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1953 Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| Spouse | Farhad Mazhar[1] |
| Education | Department of Economics, Chittagong University |
Farida Akhter (born 1953) is an adviser to the 2024 Bangladesh interim government and the executive director of UBINIG (Policy Research on Development Options).[2][3] She is also an advisor to the current interim government in Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.[4]
Early life and education
Farida Akhter was born on 1953 in Harla village of Chandanaish Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh.[5] She studied Economics at Chittagong University.[6]
Career
Akther opposed reserved seats in parliament for women in 2004 saying she preferred direct elections.[7] She had filed a petition against the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Bangladesh, which created reservation for women in the parliament.[8] In 2007, she said "We urge the government to reduce the use of private cars and stop their imports," in reference to Japanese government proposing investing in biofuel due to global warming.[9]
Akther filed a petition along with Adilur Rahman Khan, Dipu Moni, and Nasiruddin Elan successfully challenging the legality of the Truth and Accountability Commission in 2008.[10]
In 2011, Akhter signed a statement calling for justice for Rumana Manzur, a victim of domestic violence.[11] She was awarded the Sultana Kamal Independence Day Award in 2011.[12] She signed a statement against the removal of Muhammad Yunus from the post of chairman of Grameen Bank.[13] Akhter, as organizer of Naya Krishi Andolon, opposed the introduction of Bt Brinjal.[14] She defended the Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh's 13-point demands, including death penalty for blasphemy.[15][16] In June 2015, she would found innocent of contempt of court charges following her comments on the International Crimes Tribunal finding David Bergman guilty of contempt of court.[17]
On 2 August 2024, Akhter called on the government to release all those detained in the quota reform movement protests.[18] Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government, she was appointed an advisor in the Muhammad Yunus led interim government.[4]
Personal life
She is married to writer, columnist, and poet Farhad Mazhar.[6] In July 2017, Akhter filed an abduction case after her husband, Fahad Mazhar, was abducted from Dhaka.[19][20] Her sister is Sayyida Akhter.[19]
References
- ^ "Advisers to the interim government". The Daily Star. 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "Inside the interim govt: Key members leading Bangladesh's transition". Dhaka Tribune. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "All panellists for reforming BCS job quota system". The Daily Star. 2013-07-14. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ a b "Advisers to the interim government". The Daily Star. 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "গণ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ট্রাস্টি হলেন আসিফ নজরুল ও ফরিদা আখতার". NTV Online. 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ a b "Advisers to the interim government". The Daily Star. 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "Star Magazine". archive.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Law and Our Rights". www.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Producing biofuel a threat to food security". The Daily Star. 2007-09-15. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Truth Commission not legal". The Daily Star. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Ensure justice for Rumana". The Daily Star. 2011-06-24. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Sultana Kamal awards given". The Daily Star. 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Removal of Prof Yunus dishonours 20m women". The Daily Star. 2011-03-06. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "HC bars Bt Brinjal's release". The Daily Star. 2013-09-30. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "The banality of evil and the Messiah of a new dawn". The Daily Star. 2024-08-13. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "13-Point Demand". www.satp.org. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Zafrullah guilty of contempt, punished". The Daily Star. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Quota reform movement: Free all detainees within 24 hours". The Daily Star. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ a b "'Blindfolded, taken away on microbus'". The Daily Star. 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
- ^ "Farhad Mazhar: Investigators grapple with confusions". The Daily Star. 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
External links
- Media related to Farida Akhter at Wikimedia Commons