Farida Akhter
{{Short description|Bangladeshi government advisor}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| office = Adviser for Fisheries and Livestock
| term_start = 9 August 2024
| president = Mohammed Shahabuddin
| 1blankname = Chief Adviser
| 1namedata = Muhammad Yunus
| predecessor = Abdur Rahman
| birth_date = 1953
| birth_place = Chattogram, Bangladesh
| nationality = Bangladeshi
| occupation =
| image = Farida Akhter Yunus interim government adviser.jpg
| caption = Farida Akhter in 2024
| profession =
| education = Department of Economics, Chittagong University
| spouse = Farhad Mazhar{{Cite web |date=2024-08-09 |title=Advisers to the interim government |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/advisers-the-interim-government-3672791 |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
}}
Farida Akhter (born 1953) is an adviser to the 2024 Bangladesh interim government and the executive director of UBINIG (Policy Research on Development Options).{{Cite news |title=Inside the interim govt: Key members leading Bangladesh's transition |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/354135/inside-the-interim-govt-key-members-leading |access-date=2024-08-09 |work=Dhaka Tribune |date=2024-08-08}}{{Cite web |date=2013-07-14 |title=All panellists for reforming BCS job quota system |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/all-panellists-for-reforming-bcs-job-quota-system |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} She is also an advisor to the current interim government in Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-09 |title=Advisers to the interim government |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/advisers-the-interim-government-3672791 |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
== Early life and education ==
Farida Akhter was born on 1953 in Harla village of Chandanaish Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-05 |title=গণ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় ট্রাস্টি হলেন আসিফ নজরুল ও ফরিদা আখতার |url=https://ntvbd.com/education/%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%A3-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AB-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE-1091237 |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=NTV Online |language=en}} She studied Economics at Chittagong University.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-09 |title=Advisers to the interim government |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/advisers-the-interim-government-3672791 |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
Career
Akther opposed reserved seats in parliament for women in 2004 saying she preferred direct elections.{{Cite web |title=Star Magazine |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/magazine/2004/04/03/politics.htm |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=archive.thedailystar.net}} She had filed a petition against the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Bangladesh, which created reservation for women in the parliament.{{Cite web |title=Law and Our Rights |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/law/2005/06/01/week.htm |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.thedailystar.net}} In 2007, she said "We urge the government to reduce the use of private cars and stop their imports," in reference to Japanese government proposing investing in biofuel due to global warming.{{Cite web |date=2007-09-15 |title=Producing biofuel a threat to food security |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-4063 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
Akther filed a petition along with Adilur Rahman Khan, Dipu Moni, and Nasiruddin Elan successfully challenging the legality of the Truth and Accountability Commission in 2008.{{Cite web |date=2008-11-14 |title=Truth Commission not legal |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-63260 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
In 2011, Akhter signed a statement calling for justice for Rumana Manzur, a victim of domestic violence.{{Cite web |date=2011-06-24 |title=Ensure justice for Rumana |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-191356 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} She was awarded the Sultana Kamal Independence Day Award in 2011.{{Cite web |date=2011-04-01 |title=Sultana Kamal awards given |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-179958 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} She signed a statement against the removal of Muhammad Yunus from the post of chairman of Grameen Bank.{{Cite web |date=2011-03-06 |title=Removal of Prof Yunus dishonours 20m women |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-176578 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} Akhter, as organizer of Naya Krishi Andolon, opposed the introduction of Bt Brinjal.{{Cite web |date=2013-09-30 |title=HC bars Bt Brinjal's release |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/hc-bars-bt-brinjals-release |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} She defended the Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh's 13-point demands, including death penalty for blasphemy.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-13 |title=The banality of evil and the Messiah of a new dawn |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/views/news/the-banality-evil-and-the-messiah-new-dawn-3676036 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=13-Point Demand |url=https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/bangladesh/document/papers/13-Point_Demand.htm |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.satp.org}} In June 2015, she would found innocent of contempt of court charges following her comments on the International Crimes Tribunal finding David Bergman guilty of contempt of court.{{Cite web |date=2015-06-10 |title=Zafrullah guilty of contempt, punished |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/news/zafrullah-guilty-contempt-punished-94921 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}
On 2 August 2024, Akhter called on the government to release all those detained in the quota reform movement protests.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-02 |title=Quota reform movement: Free all detainees within 24 hours |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/quota-reform-movement-free-all-detainees-within-24-hours-3667501 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government, she was appointed an advisor in the Muhammad Yunus led interim government.
Personal life
She is married to writer, columnist, and poet Farhad Mazhar. In July 2017, Akhter filed an abduction case after her husband, Fahad Mazhar, was abducted from Dhaka.{{Cite web |date=2017-07-05 |title='Blindfolded, taken away on microbus' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/i-was-forced-microbus-blindfolded-1428457 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2017-07-08 |title=Farhad Mazhar: Investigators grapple with confusions |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/farhad-mazhar-investigators-grapple-confusions-1430008 |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} Her sister is Sayyida Akhter.
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akhtar, Farida}}
Category:Women's rights activists
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Yunus interim government advisors
Category:People from Chittagong District
Category:Bangladeshi activists