A designated committee drew up a list of 764 retired bureaucrats for retrospective promotions yesterday.

The committee led by former finance secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan looked into the applications from over 1,500 individuals who retired between 2009 and August 4, 2024, and believed that they had been deprived by the Awami League regime.

If the government endorses the recommendation, the retired officials will get the perks and retirement funds that they would have enjoyed had they received the promotion on time.

The government may even reinstate some of them in different posts.

The five-member committee looked into the applications of 1,540 individuals who retired between 2009 and August 4, 2024. Zakir submitted the recommendations to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

The committee recommended promoting 119 as secretaries; 41 officials to grade-1 (secretary status); 528 as additional secretary; 72 as joint secretary; and four as deputy secretary.

The committee looked into 1,540 applications including 19 from family members of deceased officials. It did not review 13 of those as they fell outside its jurisdiction and mentioned why 763 others should not get retrospective promotions.

A member of the committee said some applicants expressed interest in contractual appointments without realising that that was strictly the government's discretion.

An analysis of the committee's report reveals that it recommended four-step promotions for nine, three-step promotions for 34, two-step promotions for 126, and one-step promotions for 595.

Other members of the committee, formed on September 16, 2024, are from the Cabinet Division, public administration, finance division, and justice division.

It held 28 meetings to come up with the report before the 90-day deadline.

ABM Abdus Sattar, convener of an employee forum against discrimination, said he hoped the report would lead to fair treatment of officials deprived earlier.