Staff Reporter :
Despite the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, the Ministry of Agriculture remains dominated by loyalists of the previous regime, experts suggest.
Wahida Akhter, who once served as the personal secretary to Sheikh Hasina before rising to Director and later Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, continues to hold her influential position.
Additional Secretaries Mahbubul Haque Patwari (Planning) and Malay Chowdhury (Extension) are also considered faithful to the former administration.
Although reforms have been initiated across various sectors, these bureaucrats still maintain key roles in the ministry.
Senior officials at the ministry have hinted that swift action will be taken after proper verification of these individuals’ roles.
Mahbubul Haque Patwari, in particular, is believed to have masterminded a “peace rally” under the leadership of Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akhter on August 4, just a day before the government’s collapse.
The rally, held under the banner “Believe in Sheikh Hasina,” took place in Dhaka’s Khamarbari and Manik Mia Avenues.
On Patwari’s instruction, banners and festoons were prepared by Aminur Islam, Information Officer of Agriculture Information Service, and Surjit Saha Roy, Director.
Aminur Islam allegedly incited participants to criticize and provoke student leaders, while forcing officials to join the protest.
Project managers at Khamarbari were also allegedly coerced by Patwari and Dr. Malay Chowdhury into attending the rally in support of the regime.
While the interim government, led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has purged corrupt and partisan officials from several ministries, corrupt bureaucrats within the Ministry of Agriculture still hold power.
Sources allege that Mahbubul Haque is working to protect the officials who participated in the August 4 rally.
Patwari, who has been linked to widespread corruption and irregularities in agricultural projects for several years, is said to have facilitated illicit dealings during his time in the ministry.
Both he and former Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak allegedly siphoned funds from development projects.
Reports claim that Patwari would lobby for appointments, manipulate project contracts, and withdraw government subsidies without delivering the promised machinery.
Over the past decade, he is accused of amassing millions through these corrupt practices, in collusion with Wahida Akhter. It is further alleged that Patwari has laundered money abroad by sending his children to study overseas.
Despite repeated attempts to contact him for comment, he remained unreachable.
A senior official stated, “We are currently investigating overzealous officials who were closely aligned with the previous regime.
Action is being taken, and we are addressing grievances from those who were marginalized during Hasina’s rule.”