BNP officials find themselves sidelined under BNP government

The BNP government has completed six months in office. Before that, an interim government was in charge. During the tenures of both governments, the administration saw extensive reshuffles along with forced retirements and OSD appointments aimed at removing officials considered loyal to Sheikh Hasina’s party.

Despite this, several hundred Awami League leaning officials including at least seven secretaries continue to work in key positions without facing major obstacles. They have secured these positions including promotions by allegedly managing influential figures in the current government.

On the other hand, a significant number of officials aligned with the BNP are facing considerable discomfort. Many of them were subjected to various forms of persecution until the mass uprising. They say the situation remains unchanged.

They told Agamir Somoy, “The government at that time trapped us in departmental cases without any reason by labeling us as BNP supporters. We were punished at different stages in those cases. Now those cases are being skillfully used as issues to deny us promotions or assign us relatively less important positions.”

“We were leaders and activists of Chhatra Dal during our student days. Because of this we did not receive promotions or important positions over the past 15 years. We even had to remain OSDs (Officer on Special Duty) for years. Now the BNP government is in power. Yet we are still being deprived. Many are still OSDs. There is no one to look after us,” at least two dozen officials from different levels told Agamir Somoy in almost identical terms.

State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari told Agamir Somoy, “There is no opportunity to receive promotion or posting in government service based on political affiliation. On the prime minister’s instructions, promotions are being given with 100 percent transparency and on the basis of efficiency and merit. We do not want to politicize the administration. No fascist official has been promoted. If someone has received a promotion, they concealed information from the SSB (Superior Selection Board). Action is being taken as soon as such allegations are received.”

In response to a question he said, “If any eligible official has been deprived, it must be presented specifically. In that case, necessary action will certainly be taken.”

Earlier on July 7, State Minister for Public Administration Abdul Bari told Parliament, “The government plans to identify officials and employees of the administration who openly worked to prolong the previous fascist government and take legal action against them. Various investigative agencies have already started working to identify them.”

An investigation found that Md Babul Mia is the secretary general of the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA), the organization of administration cadre officials. He remained OSD for 10 years and two months during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure because of his affiliation with the BNP. He did not receive a promotion during this long period. The BCS 15th batch official is now an additional secretary at the Planning Commission.

Although he was promoted to additional secretary after August 5, 2024, he did not get a place in the Secretariat. He was transferred to the Planning Commission in February 2025. At least 10 officials from the 18th batch, which is two batches junior to him, have become secretaries. But he has not received a secretary position.

Babul Mia’s batchmate Abul Hasanat Humayun Kabir was the sports secretary of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal at the Masterda Surya Sen Hall committee of Dhaka University. He was also the party’s candidate for the sports secretary position in the 1992 DUCSU election.

During the interim government, he was director general of the Directorate General of Food. Ten days after the BNP came to power, he was transferred to the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in the same position.

Two and a half months later, he was transferred to the post of additional secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. One and a half months later, he was transferred again to the post of director general of the Department of Land Records and Surveys under the Ministry of Land. He joined the post on July 16. He has now given up hope of becoming a secretary and is lobbying for a posting at the Secretariat.

Ten officials from the BCS 18th batch have become secretaries. But the fortunes of an additional secretary from the same batch have yet to change. During his student days, he was the social welfare secretary of the Chhatra Dal’s Suhrawardy Hall unit at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

In addition, a joint secretary from the BCS 20th batch has been OSD for 14 months. He was the joint secretary of the Chhatra Dal’s Jagannath Hall unit at Dhaka University. During his college years, he was also elected literature and publication secretary of the college student council as a Chhatra Dal nominated candidate. His elder brother is a member of the BNP’s National Executive Committee. Because of this, he did not receive good postings during the Awami League government. He has also been deprived of opportunities under both the interim government and the current BNP government.

Police Inspector Monirul Haque (Dablu) was the joint general secretary of the Chhatra Dal’s Muhsin Hall unit at Dhaka University. He is currently the general secretary of the Bangladesh Police Association for constables and inspectors. Earlier, he was a member of Dhaka College Chhatra Dal. He was also a member of the monitoring subcommittee of the BNP’s 2001 eighth national election.

His father and two brothers are leaders of the Goalanda municipal BNP and its affiliated organizations in Rajbari. Although he did not receive a posting in Dhaka during the Awami League government, he became officer in charge of Keraniganj and Ashulia police stations during the interim government. After the BNP came to power, he was recently attached to the Nilphamari police lines.

Recently, officials from the BCS 25th batch were promoted to joint secretary. One official from the batch was not included in the list. He is the personal secretary to a state minister in the current government. The competent and experienced official was the organizational secretary of the Chhatra Dal at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of BUET and was elected food secretary of the hall student council.

Similarly, another official from the batch who was among the top performers in the merit list was not included. He is an official of the Local Government Division and was president of the Chhatra Dal unit of the Accounting Department at Dhaka University.

In addition, an assistant secretary of the Ministry of Land was not included in the promotion list despite being qualified. He was the organizational secretary of A F Rahman Hall at Dhaka University. He is also the organizational secretary of his batch association.

The deprived official claimed that there is no departmental case against him. However, Imtiaz Mahmud Jewel, a member of his batch and author of the poem “The farther you go, the more you will see birds return, that free sky belongs to Sheikh Mujib!” received a promotion under the current government.

Mofizul Islam, Syeda Nahida Habiba and Sharmin Akter Jahan also secured promotions. They had laid flowers at Bangabandhu’s mausoleum. Sharmin Akter Jahan was vice president of the Bangabandhu Ain Parishad. She served as deputy commissioner of Narail and Brahmanbaria during the interim government. She is currently working in the Finance Division.

Nairuzzaman, a longtime personal secretary to former NBR Chairman Abu Hena Rahmatul Muneem during the Awami League government, also received a promotion and is currently serving as deputy commissioner of Nilphamari.

Meanwhile, Dhaka University Chhatra League leader Flora Bilkis Jahan was appointed commercial counselor in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She received a promotion to joint secretary while serving there and remains in the post.

Bangladesh Agricultural University Chhatra League leader SM Abdullah Al Mamun was appointed commercial counselor in Singapore during the Awami League government. He secured a promotion while serving there.

Nurul Hafiz, a Chhatra League leader, served as secretary of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Various photographs of him laying flowers at Bangabandhu’s mausoleum and participating in other activities from that period have circulated on Facebook. He also received a promotion and is currently serving as additional director general of the Department of Immigration and Passports.

Nure Alam Siddique, former personal secretary to Sheikh Hasina’s Local Government Minister Tajul Islam and deputy commissioner of Bogura during the Awami League government, is another official who remains in a strong position.

The BCS 18th batch official became additional secretary at the Ministry of Health after August 5, 2024. During the interim government, he secured the position after allegedly managing an adviser. His village home is in the area of the health minister. He is now in an even stronger position.

Umm-e-Rehana from the BCS 20th batch was the personal secretary to former State Minister for Labour and Employment Mannujan Sufian. She was posted to the Power Division as a joint secretary in 2023. She remains there and controls the electricity distribution companies. She is also a board member of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC).

Mohammad Sulaiman from the 25th batch and Hasan Sadi from the 30th batch were posted at the Prime Minister’s Office during the Awami League government. Both are now working in the Power Division.

During the interim government, Sulaiman served as deputy commissioner of Chapainawabganj for 18 days. He was later withdrawn over allegations of irregularities and corruption.

On the other hand, BUET Chhatra League leader and Gopalganj native Hasan Sadi is still in charge of the planning section.

Muhammad Abdul Hai Milton, an official from the BCS 27th batch, was personal secretary to former Home Secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury. He was posted to Washington from that position. After recently returning to the country, he secured the post of secretary at Dhaka WASA.

In addition, Bulbul Ahmed, assistant project director for procurement of the LEIS project under the Ministry of Education, Azizul Haque, assistant project director for administration and training, and Ali Azgar Chowdhury, project officer for training, are officials who benefited during the Awami League government.

Bulbul Ahmed was a Chhatra League leader at Dhaka University. Ali Azgar Chowdhury was student affairs secretary of Chittagong University Chhatra League.

Azizul Haque got a job in the project on the recommendation of former Education State Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel.

A video of him marching at the Education Bhaban gate on August 3, 2024, carrying a banner and placards that read “We demand the trial of killer Khaleda,” went viral on social media. Yet they continue to work in the project without facing any apparent consequences.