Who are the EC search committee members? Let's find out

The interim government yesterday formed a six-member search committee to constitute a new Election Commission.

A gazette revealing the members of this committee was released today.

Who are the members of the said committee and what do we know about them?

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury was appointed to lead the search committee. He was elevated as an Appellate Division judge on August 13 this year from the High Court Division.

Starting as an advocate of a district court on March 3, 1985, he became a High Court lawyer on May 17, 1987. On August 27, 2003, he was appointed as an additional judge of the HC Division, and later on August 27, 2005, was appointed its judge.

Zubayer completed his bachelors and master's in law from Dhaka University. He also holds a second masters in international law from the UK.

Justice AKM Asaduzzaman

Justice AKM Asaduzzaman enrolled as an advocate of the district court on September 5, 1983. He joined the HC Division on September 5, 1985, and the Appellate Division on October 25, 2001.

He was promoted as additional judge of the HC Division on August 27, 2003, and appointed its judge on August 27, 2005.

Asaduzzaman obtained his honours and master's in law from Rajshahi University.

Nurul Islam

Nurul Islam Islam joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in December 1989 as an audit and accounts cadre of the 8th batch.

He assumed office as comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh on July 26, 2023. Prior to this position, he served as the controller general of accounts for around three years.

He received the National Integrity Award from the Ministry of Finance in 2022.

He has also served as the controller general of defence finance, additional director-general (finance), and senior finance controller (army) at Dhaka cantonment.

He completed his honours and master's in public administration from Dhaka University.

Prof Mobasser Monem

Mobasser Monem was appointed chairman of Bangladesh Public Service Commission on October 9.

He holds a PhD from the University of London and has completed postdoctoral research at both Sussex University and the University of Heidelberg. He also serves as a professor at DU's governance and public management. His research expertise lies in governance, public sector innovation, and comparative public policy.

Monem has authored two books and published over 100 scholarly articles.

He was a visiting professor at Korea University in South Korea, where he taught public management and policy. He was also a teaching and research fellow at University of Heidelberg in Germany and a visiting research fellow at University of Sussex in the UK.

Prof CR Abrar

Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, widely known as CR Abrar, is a retired professor of international relations at DU, a rights activist, and a migration expert.

He currently serves as the president of Odhikar, a human rights organisation; and executive director of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit.

He has published in national and international journals on labour recruitment industry, social protection, and rights of Rohingya refugees.

He is a strong voice against the Digital Security Act and later the Cyber Security Act.

Prof ZN Tahmida Begum

Zinnatun Nessa Tahmida Begum, a retired professor of botany at DU, was the first ever woman chair of Bangladesh Public Service Commission.

Zinnatun, a pro-BNP White Panel member, was also a pro-VC and syndicate member of DU.

She is also a fellow of the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences and a member of the Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists.

She also served as a Trustee Board member of Bangladesh National Museum and is also an editorial board member of the Journal of Science Foundation, published by Bangladesh Science Foundation.