Syed Akhtar Mahmood, a former World Bank official linked to the Awami League's propaganda arm, the Center for Research and Information (CRI), has been named to a task force formed by Bangladesh's interim government.

The task force's mission is to redefine the country's economy, which was damaged by the wrong policies of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The CRI, operated under the leadership of Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby—Hasina's nephew—was widely regarded as a propaganda machine for the Awami League.

Bobby, along with other family members of Hasina, such as her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and Sheikh Rehana's daughter Azmina Siddiq, were key figures in the organization.

Following a popular uprising led by students on August 5, which resulted in Hasina fleeing to India, the CRI's activities have come under scrutiny.

Originally presenting itself as a think tank, CRI's main focus, according to critics, was monitoring and countering the activities of dissidents and opposition figures.

It was accused of spreading propaganda, rumors, and fake news to suppress dissent before the fall of the Hasina regime.

Meta's 2024 first-quarter report confirmed the shutdown of 50 Facebook accounts and 98 pages operated by CRI for "well-organized fake propaganda."

CRI also launched a quarterly magazine, 'WhiteBoard,' in September 2020, purportedly to provide impartial reviews of policy issues. However, it was criticized for being used as another tool to suppress dissent and opposition voices.

Mahmood, who was part of CRI’s advisory board during this period, is now a member of the interim government's economic task force.

Analysts have raised concerns over his inclusion, given his previous association with the regime accused of damaging the country's economy and democracy.

"Once Syed Akhtar Mahmood was part of the machinery that contributed to the economic decline and democratic erosion, how can he now be tasked with rebuilding the economy?" questioned a political analyst.

A source within the Planning Commission compared Mahmood's appointment to that of American economist Milton Friedman, who served as an advisor to Chilean dictator General Pinochet.

"Like Friedman's role in Pinochet's regime, Mahmood, known as a friend of the dictator, is now serving the interim government," the source added.

Former finance adviser to the caretaker government, AB Mirza Azizul Islam, also expressed reservations about Mahmood's inclusion. "Those who benefitted from the previous government should not be included in this economic task force," he said. "We should not forget that our country gained independence on August 5 after a sea of bloodshed."

On September 10, the Planning Commission formed the task force to redesign economic strategies and mobilize resources for inclusive and sustainable development, following widespread allegations of corruption and poor economic policies under the Awami League.

Just weeks earlier, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus accused Hasina of systematically destroying Bangladesh's institutions to maintain power. "In her efforts to stay in power, Hasina's dictatorship destroyed every institution in the country. The judiciary was broken, and democratic rights were suppressed through a brutal decade-and-a-half-long crackdown," his spokesperson told the media.