A significant reshuffle within the public administration following the ouster of the fascist Awami League regime has created an atmosphere of anxiety among government employees, as mass promotions of previously overlooked officials have disrupted the administrative hierarchy.

Following the change in power, numerous officials have been removed from their posts, while others face the uncertainty of being made Officers on Special Duty (OSD) or transferred.

Although the interim government has cancelled many of the contractual appointments made by its predecessor, it continues to rely on such appointments to maintain the functionality of the administration.

Public administration experts warn that while contractual appointments may be necessary in these exceptional circumstances, they must not be driven by political motives. Additionally, they urge the government to ensure that professional officials are not unjustly affected during the depoliticisation process.

On 5 August, the government led by autocrat Sheikh Hasina was toppled following a mass movement by students and the public. An interim government, led by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, was formed on 8 August.

However, the cancellation of contractual appointments began on 6 August. Since then, over 150 contractual appointments, including those of secretaries, top officials in various government departments, ambassadors, and senior police officers, have been annulled. Several officials in the police and public administration have been sent on forced retirement, while many others have been made OSDs.

In the midst of these changes, new commissioners have been appointed in eight divisions and Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been appointed in most districts.

All deputy commissioners (DCs) and upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) will be replaced with new officials.

The process of appointing new personnel to other key positions in the field administration is ongoing, causing anxiety among current officials about potential transfers.

A DC appointed during the previous government told the Daily Sun, “I am waiting for the transfer order. I’ve heard that they might make me an OSD instead of transferring me. Let’s see what happens. It’s difficult to fully focus on work in such an uncertain situation, but I am trying my best.”

A joint secretary, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that batchmates are now competing fiercely to secure promotions and better postings, often at each other’s expense. “This kind of environment is unlikely to alleviate the instability within the administration. Everyone is worried about when and where they might be transferred.”

Excess of 2,630 personnel beyond permanent positions

Since taking office, the interim government has promoted 471 officials to the ranks of deputy secretary, joint secretary, and additional secretary. Among them, several have been convicted in departmental cases for irregularities and corruption. These promotions have further disrupted the administrative hierarchy.

The public administration has 89 permanent positions for senior secretaries and secretaries, 212 for additional secretaries, 502 for joint secretaries, 1,750 for deputy secretaries, and 1,143 for senior assistant secretaries and assistant secretaries.

Currently, 69 officials hold senior secretary and secretary positions, 509 hold additional secretary positions, 866 hold joint secretary positions, 1,591 hold deputy secretary positions, and 3,271 hold senior assistant secretary and assistant secretary positions.

There are now 297 additional secretaries, 364 joint secretaries, and 2,128 senior assistant secretaries and assistant secretaries more than the permanent posts available. However, there are 159 fewer deputy secretaries than permanent positions.

On 20 August, the DCs of 25 districts, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Rangpur, Gazipur, Cumilla, and Khulna, were withdrawn, but their replacements have yet to be appointed.

A public administration ministry official said that no one from the fit list created during the Awami League government would be appointed as DC. The new fit list for DC appointments has not yet been finalised, hence the delay in new appointments.

According to the “Promotion Rules, 2002” for the ranks of deputy secretary, joint secretary, additional secretary, and secretary, 75% of the promotions to the deputy secretary level must come from the administration cadre, and the remaining 25% from other cadres.

The Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, which comprises 25 cadres other than the administration cadre, recently held a press conference demanding the abolition of the quota system for promotions to the deputy secretary rank.

However, the interim government has yet to take any steps to address this demand, resulting in 95% of joint secretary and additional secretary positions being held by officials from the administration cadre.

Mohammad Omar Faruque Dewan, coordinator of the Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, told the Daily Sun, “We have not heard of any initiative by the public administration ministry to address inter-cadre disparities. We urgently want an end to these disparities.”

‘Depriving everyone in the process of replacement unacceptable’

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), believes that while depoliticising the public administration, it would be unacceptable and questionable if everyone were indiscriminately deprived in the replacement process.

Speaking to the Daily Sun, he said, “Both sides have politicised the bureaucracy. The highest level of politicisation in the bureaucracy has occurred during the Awami League government. To neutralise the bureaucracy, merely removing those who were part of the politicised administration is not enough; their accountability must also be ensured.

“If those being removed are done so indiscriminately, or only those directly involved with authoritarianism and those who played a supportive role are being removed, then that is an issue to consider. Because it cannot be claimed that 100% of the bureaucracy was politicised; many tried to fulfil their professional responsibilities correctly. If everyone is deprived indiscriminately in the replacement process, it will be unacceptable and questionable.”

Dr Iftekharuzzaman further stated that those who were deprived for political reasons during the previous government’s tenure must be reinstated, and if necessary, they should be rewarded and promoted. However, if those against whom there are specific allegations of irregularities and corruption are reinstated without proper scrutiny, it will not solve the problem. It will only replace one politicised bureaucracy with another.

Reflecting on the current situation, Dr Iftekharuzzaman expressed his hope that no one will be appointed on a contractual basis considering political affiliations.

He noted that after taking over, the interim government announced that no one would be employed on a contract, and he believes this still holds. The practice of appointing people on a contract basis for political reasons must be stopped.

According to public administration expert Firoz Miah, the government has no alternative but to appoint people on a contract basis to run the administration in an abnormal situation.

Speaking to the Daily Sun, he said, “The administration left by the Awami League government does not have the confidence of the people. The officials also lack the morale to work. Therefore, there is no other way but to make changes in these areas. The current situation cannot be compared to a normal situation. The government has no alternative but to appoint people on a contract basis.”

Regarding the promotion of those convicted of irregularities and corruption under the deprived category, Firoz Miah observed that pressure has been put on the government to give promotions.

“In a rush, there might be one or two mistakes, but there is room for correction. However, it should be noted that a departmental penalty does not necessarily mean no promotion. If someone receives a minor penalty or reprimand, their score may be reduced, but if they have the necessary score for promotion, they can still be considered for promotion.”