Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith says rubbish people should most definitely be called rubbish after he got into a tiff with ‘intellectuals’ who criticised the 79-year old’s second successive term as Minister for Finance.
He was speaking to employees of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on Monday. The new Minister of State for Finance MA Mannan was also present.
Muhith mentioned his age saying, “I enjoyed fulfilling my duties during the past five years, despite my age, even though the intellectuals have criticised me for calling people rubbish and bogus.”
The comment caused a wave of laughter in the ERD hall room.
Muhith smiling on the stage, said, “Rubbish must be called rubbish. What is bogus should be called bogus.”
“Except two jobs, I could never complete any term of employment. I either resigned or was expelled.”
The Awami League Presidium member said he had completed a two and half years contract at the Asian Development Bank.
The other job he completed was his five years as Finance Minister with the last Awami league government.
Towards the end of his previous term, Muhith had said he was not keen on another term because of his advancing age and health. On Monday, he explained why he was back in the ministry.
“I told her (Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina) I’m old. I can’t rest because of the pressure of work, though I enjoyed working during the past five years.”
But Hasina asked him to continue, saying, “I think you can continue as long as you don’t feel bad.”
Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in 1981 was Finance Minister for two years during HM Ershad’s regime. He was again made Minister of Finance when the Awami League won the 2008 election.
This time he has former bureaucrat MA Mannan as his junior minister.
The Finance Minister revealed how he had learnt about Mannan’s appointment.
“I called Matia Chowdhury at 8pm on Saturday. Matia told me she still had not got any news. Then I called Musharraf (Cabinet Secretary).”
“Musharraf told me he is been trying to get Matia Chowdhury on the phone since morning. I told him I have a number with me and he can try calling there. Then he told me he can’t get Mannan on the phone either.”
“I asked him, ‘which Mannan?’ Musharraf said, ‘Mannan from Sunamganj. He has been made your deputy’. I told him, “let me call and inform Mannan before I give you his number.’ Then I called him.”
Muhith first met Mannan in Geneva a few years ago when the latter was the economic advisor to the Bangladesh Mission there.
MA Mannan speaking in the programme said, “I am happy to serve with you at a time of economic prosperity to take the motherland to a higher level.”
ERD Secretary Abul Kalam Azad praised the two former officials of the administration.
Source: Bd news24