Rahul Quddus was[1] a former bureaucrat of Bangladesh. He is the first and only secretary general of the Cabinet of Bangladesh and the first Principal Secretary of the Prime Ministers' Office.[2]
Quddus was an accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case along with future President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[3]
Career
Quddus joined the Civil Service of Pakistan in 1949.[4] He served as the chief magistrate of Dhaka.[1]
Quddus was accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case along with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1968.[4] Along with him, two other civil servants were charged in the case Ahmed Fazlur Rahman and Khan Shamsur Rahman who were Bengalis.[5][6] He was defended by Khan Bahadur Mohammad Ismail.[7][8]
Quddus was the secretary general of the Cabinet of Bangladesh.[4] During the Bangladesh Liberation War, he was tasked with taking over the bureaucracy of East Pakistan.[9] After the Bangladesh Liberation War ended, he went to Dhaka Airport on 18 December 1971 to receive the government of Bangladesh in exile.[4][10] Abul Fateh accompanied him, and they were the highest government authority in Dhaka till the return of the government in exile.[4] He chaired the first cabinet meeting of Bangladesh on 23 December.[4][11]
After Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned to Bangladesh, Quddus was appointed Principal Secretary of the Prime Ministers' Office and the post of secretary general of the Cabinet of Bangladesh was abolished.[4] He represented Bangladesh in negotiations with India.[12]
Personal life
Quddus's daughter is Dr. Rezina Quddus.[1]
References