Deputy, joint secretaries: Promotions to be based on exams

The Public Administration Reform Commission will recommend promotions to the posts of deputy secretary and joint secretary be based on exams conducted by the Public Service Commission.
However, sitting for the exams will not be required for promotions to additional secretary and secretary.
The commission will also suggest 50:50 ratio between officials of administration cadre and other cadres for promotions to deputy secretary instead of the current 75:25 ratio.
The commission will recommend eliminating the police verification requirement for government jobs and passports. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury
This was revealed by Commission Chairman Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury during a views-exchange meeting with journalists at the Secretariat yesterday.
"We are considering creating specialisations within the cadre services. We are recommending changes to the health and education cadres because officials under these cadres cannot continue to be structured as traditional cadres. These two cadres will be restructured into specialised departments.
"Are ophthalmologists, dentists, and general physicians being promoted at the same pace? That's why we propose they no longer remain part of the cadre system. Keeping them within the cadre system has been illogical. These cadres must be separated and transformed into specialised departments, with enhanced salaries and benefits."
Muyeed said except for these two cadres, the rest can remain under the current cadre system. "We plan to have more discussions on this matter."
Mokles Ur Rahman, senior secretary of the public administration ministry, said the commission will recommend separating the education and health cadres, similar to how the Judicial Service Commission was separated from the Public Service Commission.
The commission is also considering organising the remaining cadres into five distinct clusters.
Muyeed added that the commission will suggest eliminating the police verification requirement for government jobs and passports.
"Every citizen has the right to obtain a passport. Unless there is a legal restriction, everyone has the right to travel abroad."
The senior secretary said the reform commission will also propose formation of separate bodies to oversee the health and education sectors as it believes the current structure of the education and health cadres is no longer necessary.
"Education and health are vital sectors for the public. The commission is actively considering offering special benefits to professionals working in these areas. However, the final decision will be made by the government."
He said the commission has agreed to recommend upgrading Faridpur and Cumilla to administrative divisions. "If the government wishes, it can implement this recommendation."
A proposal in this regard was placed at a cabinet meeting in November last year, but it could not be implemented due to economic condition of the country.
Reform commission members Prof Syeda Shahina Sobhan, Mohammad Tarek, Mohammad Ayub Mia, and Md Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan, and student representative Mehadi Hasan attended yesterday's meeting.
Expressing frustration over the comments from the reform commission members, Administrative Service Association Secretary-General Mahbubur Rahman last night told The Daily Star that the administration cadre officials were deeply disheartened by the reform commission's comments.
"In a meeting tonight [last night], we discussed the issue and made some decisions. We will soon inform the media about our stance." He said 25 percent posts of deputy secretary are kept aside for other cadres as per a court order, and the authorities should consider whether the reform commission can raise question over the issue.
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