# Shahabuddin Ahmed ministry

An interim government led by the Shahabuddin Ahmed ministry was formed on 9 December 1990 in Bangladesh, following President HM Ershad's resignation on 6 December in the face of a mass uprising against his regime. Shahabuddin had taken office as the acting president of the country after he was unanimously agreed upon by the leaders of all political parties to be ceremoniously appointed by Ershad just before resigning as vice-president in place of Moudud Ahmed. He administered the oath of office to his council of advisers at Bangabhaban on 9 December 1990. During this period, he gave back freedom of the press by amending a number of law including the Special Powers Act.
Following the dissolution of the 4th term of the Jatiya Sangsad on 6 December 1990, the cabinet remained in office until 20 March 1991, when Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which emerged as the largest party in the general election held in February, was appointed as the new Prime Minister.

## Background

The 1990 mass uprising, popularly known as ʼ90's Anti-Authoritarian Movement, was a democratic movement that took place on 4 December and led to the fall of General Hussain Muhammad Ershad in Bangladesh. The uprising was the result of a series of popular protests that started from 10 October 1990 to topple General Ershad who came to power in 1982 by imposing martial law and replaced a democratically elected president, Abdus Sattar through a bloodless coup.
The uprising is marked as the starting point of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh after nine years of military rule and paved the way for a credible election in 1991. Bangladesh Nationalist Party led 7-party alliance, Bangladesh Awami League led 8-party alliance and Leftist 5-party alliance was instrumental in staging the uprising against Ershad.
About hundred people died during the protests those led to the upsurge from 10 October till 4 December, around fifty were the casualty of the violent protests and street fights started from 27 November, after a state of emergency was declared.

## List of advisers

The following lists the advisers of the interim government:
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office |
| Adviser for꞉Law and JusticeReligious Affairs | M A Khaleq | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Finance | Kafiluddin Mahmood | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Foreign Affairs | Fakhruddin Ahmed | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Planning In-charge of Economic Relations Division | Rehman Sobhan | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for꞉Power, Energy and Mineral ResourcesHousing and Public Works | Wahiduddin Ahmed | 15 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Education | Zillur Rahman Siddiqui | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for:Social WelfareWomen AffairsYouth and Sports | Alamgir M. A. Kabir | 15 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for꞉IndustriesTextilesJute | AKM Musa | 16 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Health and Family Welfare | M. A. Majed | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for꞉Civil Aviation and TourismShipping | Rafiqul Islam | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for꞉Cultural AffairsFood | Iajuddin Ahmed | 17 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Communications | A. B. M. G. Kibria | 9 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for꞉Irrigation, Water Development and Flood ControlFisheries and LivestockEnvironment and Forest | Qazi Fazlur Rahman | 17 December 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Commerce | Imam Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury | 7 January 1991 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Relief | BK Das | 9 January 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for꞉AgricultureLand | A. M. Anisuzzaman | 9 January 1990 | 15 March 1991 |
| Adviser for Labour and Manpower In-charge of Internal Resources Division | Chowdhury A K M Aminul Haque | 9 January 1990 | 15 March 1991 |