Tapan Kanti Ghosh Explained

Tapan Kanti Ghosh is a Bangladeshi retired bureaucrat and former senior secretary of the Ministry of Commerce.[1] [2] He was the vice-chairman of Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute.[3]

Early life

Ghosh was born in Paikgachha Upazila, Khulna District and completed his SSC from Haridhali Union Secondary School in 1979.[4] He completed his HSC from Brajalal College in 1981. He completed his bachelors and master's from the University of Dhaka in economics.

Career

Ghosh joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in 1989 in the administration branch.

Ghosh was the commercial counselor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Brussels from 2011 to 2016.

In 2016, Ghosh joined the Export Wing at the Ministry of Commerce as a joint secretary and later would be promoted to additional secretary.[5] From 7 July 2020 to 2 June 2021, Ghosh was the secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs after which he was made the secretary of the Ministry of Commerce.[6] Khaja Miah replaced him as the secretary at the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. He replaced Md. Zafar Uddin at the Ministry of Commerce who was sent into retirement.[7] In August, he presided over a meeting of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition which took place at the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.[8] On 16 November 2021, he was made the member secretary of the committee formed to celebrate the 50th independence of Bangladesh.[9] On 30 December 2021, Ghosh was promoted to Senior Secretary.

On 25 August 2021, Ghosh met with traders and businessmen in an attempt to reduce the price of essential commodities.[10] [11] He oversaw the export of more than two thousand tone of Hilsa fish to West Bengal on the occasion of Durga Puja which he described as a diplomatic action.[12] In December 2021, he announced the government was moving towards establishing preferential trade agreement with Nepal.[13]

In 2022, Ghosh proposed the name of Amir Hamza for the Independence Day Award, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh, for his contribution to literature and who was selected.[14] Hamza was the father of Asaduzzaman, bureaucrat and the chief executive of Khulna District Council, who successfully lobbied to have his father's name included with the endorsement of Ghosh.[15] Hamza's name was met with criticism due to questions about the significance of his contribution and the fact the Hamza had been sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case. His name was eventually removed the list of awardees following criticism.[16] [17]

Ghosh started the refund process for Qcoom.com, an online retailer which had failed to deliver products after payment.[18] [19] He was also working with Evaly, another online retailer which was facing difficulties providing orders and paying suppliers, to solve their financial problems.[20] He also moved to reduce/remove the vat on soybean oil to reduce prices of soybean oil in the market.[21] On 13 February 2022, Ghosh announced plans to amend the Company Act.[22] [23] On 4 March 2022, he met the commerce secretary of India, B. V. R. Subrahmanyam.[24] [25]

Notes and References

  1. News: Company Act needs amendment, says Tapan . 2022-03-18 . New Age . en.
  2. News: Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh speaking at a workshop on investigative journalism - Business . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Observer.
  3. Web site: Our Board of Directors – BFTI . 2022-03-18 . en-US.
  4. Web site: Senior Secretary . 18 March 2022 . Ministry of Commerce.
  5. Web site: Protection, respect and remedy essential for govt and corporates to tackle SDGs UNDP in Bangladesh . 2022-03-18 . UNDP . en.
  6. News: 2021-05-30 . New secretaries for three ministries . 2022-03-18 . Dhaka Tribune.
  7. News: 2021-05-30 . bn:বাণিজ্য মন্ত্রণালয়ের নতুন সচিব তপন কান্তি ঘোষ . https://www.kalerkantho.com/online/national/2021/05/30/1038218 . 2022-03-18 . Kaler Kantho . bn.
  8. News: Commerce Ministry Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh presiding over a meeting . 2022-03-18 . The New Nation . en.
  9. Web site: Tapan Kanti Ghosh named member secretary of the committee celebrating the golden jubilee of independence . 2022-03-18 . Bangladesh Live News . en.
  10. Web site: Govt to get tough against market manipulators: Commerce secretary . 2022-03-18 . Business Insider Bangladesh . en.
  11. News: 2021-08-25 . Commodity price manipulators will face stern action: commerce secretary . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  12. News: 2021-09-20 . Bangladesh to export 2,080 tonnes of hilsha to India . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  13. News: 2021-12-14 . Preferential trade deal with Nepal soon: commerce secretary . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  14. News: Government to review decision to confer Independence Award on Amir Hamza . 2022-03-18 . bdnews24.com.
  15. News: 2022-03-17 . Amir Hamza is Bangla's Bob Dylan? Really? . 2022-03-18 . The Business Standard . en.
  16. News: 2022-03-18 . Amir Hamza dropped from Swadhinata Padak 2022, new list published . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  17. News: Independence Award: Amir Hamza's name dropped from list . 2022-03-18 . UNB . en.
  18. News: Qcoom starts refunding money to customers Business . 2022-03-18 . BSS.
  19. News: 2022-01-24 . Qcoom refunds Tk 40.24 lakh to e-commerce consumers . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  20. News: 2021-08-09 . Meeting on Aug 11 on Evaly's plea for more time . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  21. News: Cabinet orders NBR to waive VAT on import, production and distribution of cooking oil, other essentials . 2022-03-18 . bdnews24.com.
  22. News: 2022-02-13 . Companies act to be rewritten this year . 2022-03-18 . The Daily Star . en.
  23. News: Companies Act needs amendment to make it time-befitting, says commerce secretary . 2022-03-18 . The Financial Express . en.
  24. News: Commerce secretaries of Bangladesh, India to meet on March 4 . 2022-03-18 . New Age . en.
  25. Web site: Bangladesh, India to conduct study on economic partnership pact: Report . 2022-03-18 . businesspostbd.com . en.