The government is mulling to give promotions to more officials in the public administration to the post of deputy secretary ahead of the next parliamentary election in the country.

Public Administration Ministry sources said the activities of the promotion have already been started. Seven secretaries will go on retirement in December next before polls. If the government does not appoint new secretaries in contract, new faces will also come into the secretary posts. The issue of the promotion of the deputy secretaries will be presented in the meeting of the Superior Selection Board (SSB) within a few days.

The Public Administration Ministry said all officials on the list have achieved the eligibility of being deputy secretary in 2021. Officials of the 29th batch joined the job in 2011. An official is considered for the promotion to the post of deputy secretary after 10 years of service. Many officials are worried about their promotion before the announcement of the election schedule.

A senior assistant secretary of the Cabinet Division said, “We are waiting for the promotion. Our seniors got the promotion. If we don’t get a promotion before the election, we will be far behind. We have achieved the eligibility for the promotion two years ago. We expect that we will get promotion regularly in the government job.”        

Another official of the Agriculture Ministry said, “We won’t get frustrated. Hope we will get good news very soon despite limited time.”

Officials of the various stages of the public administration said that if the government promotes officials of the administration before the election, it will give relaxation to the officials. Considering the situation, the government is giving promotions to the officials, they added. 

Former Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told Bangladesh Pratidin that creating new posts and promotion have financial links with the government. So, the quality of public service and an increase in the number of services should be ensured in this process. The government had given promotion to the posts of deputy secretary, joint secretary, and additional secretary in the public administration in three phases despite insufficient posts before the national election held on December 29, 2018. 

Contacted, Abdus Sabur Mandal, Secretary (Attached) of the APD (Appointment, Promotion, and Deputation) Division at the Ministry of Public Administration said, “We have started procedure to give promotion to the posts of deputy secretary. Several SSB meetings will be held. The announcement of the promotion might come in October. We are working on it.” 

State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said, “We have already given promotion at the public administration. The promotion of deputy secretary posts is under discussion. There is no link between the election and the promotion of the public administration. These are part of our regular activities. We have no hurry in the promotion. If we can’t do this within October, it will go in January.”

He, however, refused any pressure of the promotion before the next election. 

@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on September 25, 2023 and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.