‘600 officials to be considered for joint, deputy secys’

The government is considering promoting around 600 officers from the 24th and 30th BCS batches to joint secretary and deputy secretary, according to officials in the public administration ministry.

The initial process for these promotions is almost complete, and the Superior Selection Board, headed by the cabinet secretary, is likely to commence meetings next month to pick the officials for these positions.

"The process is underway to promote the officials from the 24th and 30th BCS batches to joint secretary and deputy secretary. However, it's yet to be decided officials from which batch would be promoted first," said Md Abdur Rouf, additional secretary at the public administration ministry.

Officials said 316 deputy secretaries from 24th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) batch, who joined service in 2005, are under consideration for promotion to joint secretary. Besides, 291 senior assistant secretaries from the 30th BCS batch, who entered public service in 2012, are being evaluated for promotion to deputy secretary.

Some officials from other BCS batches, who were denied promotions previously, are also being considered for the post of joint secretary.

This is the first regular promotion initiative taken by the incumbent interim government since it took office on August 8. Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus himself is handling the portfolio of the public administration ministry.

Within around one month after taking office, the government promoted officials to deputy secretary, joint secretary, and additional secretary in three phases focusing on those deemed "deprived" during Sheikh Hasina's rule.

Around 850 officials are currently serving as joint secretaries against the sanctioned posts of about 300.

To be eligible for promotion to joint secretary, an official must serve at least five years as a deputy secretary, according to the guidelines for officials' promotion. However, the 24th BCS batch officers have already served in the post for over six years.

According to sources, the government also plans to promote deputy secretaries, who joined the BCS administration cadre from other cadres, to joint secretary. This will be done after promoting the officials from the regular batches.

Although the promotion guidelines stipulate that officials who joined the BCS administration cadre service from other cadres should be promoted alongside their peers from regular BCS batches, this has not happened smoothly.

A total of 194 deputy secretaries feel "deprived" of promotions.

Wishing anonymity, one of those officials said, "The mindset of treating non-admin cadre officials as 'stepbrothers' must change to ensure an unbiased and merit-based public administration. Ensuring promotions following the Public Service Commission's merit list and the seniority of the respective batches is essential."

Around 1,600 officials are currently serving as deputy secretaries against the sanctioned posts of about 1,000.

The public administration ministry's promotion guidelines stipulate that 75 out of every 100 deputy secretary posts has to be filled from the administration cadre officials and the remaining 25 from the officials from other cadres.

Since the interim government took office on August 8, a number of contractual appointments have been made at the senior secretary, cabinet secretary, and principal secretary levels.

As many as 118 senior assistant secretaries have been promoted to deputy secretary, 225 deputy secretaries to joint secretary, and 131 joint secretaries to additional secretary in three phases.

The officials had claimed that they were denied promotions during the Awami League's 16-year rule.