Joint Secretary, son of neglected mother, made OSD

A joint secretary has been made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) following the recovery of his elderly mother’s decomposed body from a flat in the capital, amid allegations of severe neglect by her highly educated children. 

The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Wednesday night attaching Dr AKM Anisur Rahman to the ministry. 

He has been ordered to join his new post by Thursday, failing which he will be considered immediately relieved of his duties. 

Dr Rahman was previously serving as the member of engineering and development at the Mongla Port Authority. 

Despite multiple attempts to contact him for comment, his phone calls went unanswered.

The incident has sparked widespread public outrage. Last Sunday, police recovered the insect-infested remains of 75-year-old Nurjahan Begum from her residence in Mirpur-11 after receiving a call to the national emergency number 999. 

Shockingly, the elderly woman’s daughter, who lived in the same flat, failed to inform law enforcement agencies about the death. 

Nurjahan Begum’s sons hold prominent positions in society. 

Alongside the joint secretary, another son is a professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), while a third is a teacher at a local school. 

Responding to the outcry, State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari told the Daily Samakal newspaper that the matter was under active scrutiny. 

"Of course, the matter is under our consideration. Whatever needs to be done according to the law will be done," he said. 

Shortly after his remarks, the ministry issued the notification attaching Dr Rahman to the OSD pool. 

Bari highlighted the legal framework surrounding the case, noting that the government would not hesitate to take action. 

"There is a law that contains provisions regarding the maintenance of parents. If it is effective, we will take action according to the law," the state minister added.

Under the Parents Maintenance Act of 2013, which was bolstered by rules formulated in 2023, children are legally bound to ensure the upkeep, health, and medical care of their parents. If a parent has multiple children, the siblings are required to arrange the maintenance amongst themselves. Failure to comply with these provisions carries a penalty of a fine of up to Tk100,000, or up to three months’ imprisonment if the fine remains unpaid.