The government yesterday promoted 85 joint secretaries to the rank of additional secretaries even though there is not a single vacancy for the position.

With the promotion, the number of additional secretaries in the already top-heavy civil administration would be more than 450 against some 120 posts.

Some 200 more officials will be promoted in a day or two to the rank of joint secretary from deputy secretary and to deputy secretary from senior assistant secretary, according to sources in the secretariat.

Already there are 882 joint secretaries against 350 approved posts and 1,298 deputy secretaries against 830 posts under different ministries and divisions of the government.

The number of officials holding the posts of additional, joint and deputy secretaries is already two to three times higher, said the sources.

In April last year, the government gave wholesale promotions to 873 officials to the ranks of additional, joint and deputy secretaries. Since then, many of the promoted officials have been working as in-situ (officials who hold the same office and discharge the same duty after elevation), an unusual practice in civil bureaucracy.

Further promotion will turn the bureaucracy more top-heavy and see a rise in the number of in-situ officials who would have to work in their same place with a few additional responsibilities but would enjoy higher perks and salaries. It will also pose a big challenge for policymakers to accommodate these promoted officials.

Secretariat sources said the promotion has been given apparently to ease commotion among the officials who have been denied promotion several times. These officials are mostly from the batches from 1984 to 1986.

The promotion was supposed to be given a couple of months ago following the recommendation of the Superior Selection Board (SSB).

Many of the additional secretaries who got promotion yesterday will retire from the service in few months.

A senior secretary seeking anonymity said the promotion has been given as a reward before retirement of many of the officials so that they can enjoy higher pension benefits and status.

Contacted, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told The Daily Star that the promotions of the 85 additional secretaries were given considering their merit, performance and service tenure.

About the top-heavy admin, Alam admitted that the top of the administration would be heavier with these promotions.

He said all the officers served the government for at least 28 years, so they expect a promotion before their retirement. Most of these officials did not get promotion in time, he added.

The cabinet secretary said most of the officers who got promotions and would get promotion will remain in-situ.

About promotion of deputy secretaries and senior assistant secretaries, he said the promotions would be given in a day or two. “It is at the final stage [for PM's approval],” he added.

The government yesterday also reshuffled five secretary-level officials.