Md Shamsul Alam
M. Shamsul Alam | |
|---|---|
| Personal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh | |
| In office 2001–2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Khaleda Zia |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Occupation | Government officer |
| Known for | Serving as APS to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia; involvement in Secretariat incident (2006); allegations over property purchase in Gulshan |
Md Shamsul Alam is a former personal secretary to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.[1] Alam is credited with coining the term July 36 the day Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government collapsed.[2]
Early life
Alam was born to Yusuf Ali and Azufa Khatun in Gosairhat, Shariatpur District.[3]
Career
In August 2006, Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury, then recently serving as assistant personal secretary to the Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina, was involved in a confrontation at the Bangladesh Secretariat.[4] Chowdhury and other officers who had been made officers on special duty during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government alleged that they were subjected to misbehaviour by fourth-class employees.[4] The incident reportedly occurred when a separate group of officials, identified as having benefited during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party administration and led by Shamsul Alam, visited the Ministry of Establishment.[4] Chowdhury and his colleagues subsequently met with the establishment secretary to complain and stated their intention to appeal to the caretaker government for promotions and postings.[4] Police presence at the Secretariat was increased following the incident, which temporarily disrupted regular work.[4]
According to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s ex-private secretary AHM Nurul Islam, Alam, as assistant personal secretary to the prime minister, played a role in the politicisation of Bangladesh’s civil administration during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government from 2001 to 2006.[5] Islam alleged that Alam, along with a group of senior and mid-level officials, helped create lists categorizing civil servants by perceived political affiliation.[5] The list was then used to influence promotions, postings, and transfers.[5] Officials identified as sympathetic to the opposition Awami League were often denied promotions, transferred to undesirable posts, or made officers on special duty.[5] At the same time, those with ties to figures such as Haris Chowdhury or Alam were favoured for desirable positions.[5] In 2005, The Daily Star reported that Alam was asked by the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Kamal Siddiqui to explain how he bought land and a house in Gulshan worth several million Bangladeshi Taka.[6] The report said no action was taken on this request, and that Alam ignored it with the Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s knowledge.[6] These claims were part of wider criticism about corruption in the Prime Minister’s Office during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s second term in power.[6]
The Anti-Corruption Commission asked Alam and 10 others associated with former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to submit their wealth statements.[7] In February 2008, Alam On 10 November 2008, Alam was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment in a corruption case.[8] According to the case he had 17.9 million BDT in illicit wealth.[9] His wife, Khadiza Anam, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the same case.[8] The court also ordered his assets to be confiscated.[9]
In September 2021, a member of the Awami League information and research subcommittee, Shawkat Ali Patwari Tuhin, served a legal notice against Alam over comments against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[1] At that time Alam was living in the United States.[1] Alam had posted on Facebook money was smuggled outside the country using diplomatic pouches during Sheikh Hasina's official trip to Europe.[1]
During protests in 2024 that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League government, Alam is credited with coining the term July 36.[2] Alam noted that intelligence agencies and Embassy of the United States, Dhaka sources predicted that Hasina's government would fall by July 2024.[2] When Hasina did not resign by the end of July, protesters extended the symbolic “July” period to “July 36,” meaning July would continue until Hasina stepped down.[2]
Personal life
Alam is married to Khadiza Anam.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d "Legal notice served on Khaleda's ex-PS over derogatory remarks against PM". The Business Standard. 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ a b c d "৩৬ জুলাই বিশ্বরেকর্ডের ইতিহাস: সিনিয়র সচিব মো.শামসুল আলম". দৈনিক ইনকিলাব (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ "Desperate bid of cyber criminals to annihilate country, govt". Daily Sun. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ a b c d e "Tension continues to brew at secretariat". The Daily Star. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ a b c d e "Ex-private secretary spills graft beans about Khaleda". The Daily Star Web. 20 February 2007. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ a b c Anam, Mahfuz (2005-05-31). "How is the BNP paying tribute to its founder?". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ "Khoka, Tofail, 9 others get ACC notice today". The Daily Star. 2007-11-06. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ a b c "Ex-PM's aide sentenced to 13 years in jail". today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd. Retrieved 2025-08-09.
- ^ a b "Khaleda's APS Shamsul jailed for 13 yrs". The Daily Star. 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2025-08-09.