Job tenure of 3 services chiefs fixed at 4 yrs

The cabinet yesterday approved in principle a draft law proposing the service tenure of the chiefs of the army, the navy and the air force to be four years.

Traditionally, chiefs of the three forces are appointed for three years and in some cases, they get extensions ranging from one year to several years, according to former chiefs of the forces who hailed the government move.

Talking to The Daily Star, they said the law would help introduce a system in the forces.

The draft law titled “Defence Forces Chiefs (appointment, retirement and salary and allowances) Act-2016” was approved in the cabinet's weekly meeting at the secretariat, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam said there was no law regarding the appointment of the chiefs of the three forces and that the process of their appointment, retirement, salary and allowances was being done by an official order titled “Joint Service Instructions” (JSI).

Shafiul said the draft law was proposed in line with the sections 61, 62 and 63 of the constitution.

As per the sections, it is mandatory for the government to formulate a law regarding appointment, retirement and remunerations of the chiefs of the army, the navy and the air force, as it has not been framed for the last 45 years, he said, adding that the draft law would replace the existing JSI.

The draft law proposed that the president would appoint the chiefs of defence forces, and they would hold the office for maximum four years at a stretch or with extension if they were not sent into retirement or if they opt for voluntary retirement themselves.

According to the proposed law, the chiefs of three services would get salary in the same scale of the cabinet secretary in addition to other allowances they now enjoy.

After their retirement, the cabinet secretary said, the chiefs of the three services would not get re-appointment to any civil or military administration. However, they could be appointed to any constitutional position or work at any private organisation on a contractual basis, the draft law said.

Army chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq will retire on June 25, 2018, air force chief Air Marshal Abu Esrar on June 12, 2018, and navy chief Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed on January 27, 2019.

Former Air Marshal (retd) Muhammad Enamul Bari said the proposed law would enhance transparency within the respective forces and strengthen relations among the three forces. “I think it is a very good initiative of the government,” he said.

Former Navy chief Rear Admiral (retd) Zahir Uddin Ahmed said bringing appointment and retirement of the chiefs of the three forces under a specific legal framework is very positive for these organisations, as it would introduce a system which was not there.

Thanking the government for its move, he said formation of such a law had been their longstanding demand.

 Former Army chief Lt Gen (retd) M Harun-Ar-Rashid said, “All countries have laws in this regard, but we did not have any. It is a positive sign that the present government has initiated to enact a law.”

Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, former army chief, said as there were no specific rules and regulations regarding the appointments of the chiefs of the forces, many of them got extension, depriving others. He said these practices were not good.

Mentioning that no law could be formulated in the past due to “political and a vested quarter's interests”, he said with the formation of the law, international norms would be followed regarding the appointment and retirement of the chiefs.

“I welcome this move,” he added.