Trouble looms for 36 administration officials

Senior bureaucrats in the Ministry of Public Administration allegedly played a ‘special role’ in the 2018 national election to help keep the Awami League government in power. They were also allegedly involved in activities opposing the July 2024 mass uprising. Among them were district commissioners and returning officers in all 64 districts. The Ministry of Public Administration has finalized a list of 36 such ‘controversial’ officials, including 30 former deputy commissioners. As they have completed 25 years of government service, they are expected to be sent into mandatory retirement soon under the relevant legal provision. These BCS 20th batch officials are currently serving as Officers on Special Duty, or OSDs. Government policymaking sources confirmed the information.

The sources also said a preliminary list has been prepared of a significant number of officials who allegedly played special roles in the controversial 2018 and 2024 elections during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina. The list includes deputy commissioners from the BCS 21st, 22nd, 24th, 25th and 27th batches, personal secretaries to ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers, as well as officials who served in key positions at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, they have not yet completed 25 years of government service.

State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari himself hinted at the government's decision. During the question and answer session in Parliament on July 7, he said, “The government plans to identify and take legal action against those government officials and employees who openly worked to prolong the fascist government. Various government investigation agencies have already started working to identify them.”

Earlier, on July 5, the government sent 33 officials who had served as superintendents of police during the 2018 election into mandatory retirement. These BCS 20th batch officers had completed 25 years of government service. In addition, the interim government had previously forced 22 deputy commissioners who served during the controversial 2014 election into retirement. One day later, then Adviser for Local Government, Youth and Sports Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain wrote in a Facebook post, “The DCs and SPs who were in charge of all 64 districts during the nighttime election of 2018 will also be sent into mandatory retirement.”

Officials who may be sent into retirement

Those who may soon be sent into mandatory retirement include former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Personal Secretary 1 Monira Begum and Personal Secretary 2 Al Mamun Murshed.

The list also includes those who served as deputy commissioners at the time: Chandpur Deputy Commissioner Md. Majedur Rahman Khan, Patuakhali Deputy Commissioner Md. Matiul Islam Chowdhury, Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Mosammat Sultana Pervin, Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Morshed Chowdhury, Khagrachhari Deputy Commissioner Md. Shahidul Islam, Khulna Deputy Commissioner Md. Helal Hossain, Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Daudul Islam, Barishal Deputy Commissioner S M Ajior Rahman, Chuadanga Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chandra Das, Shariatpur Deputy Commissioner Kazi Abu Taher, Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner S M Abdul Kader, Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Abul Fazal Mir, Sherpur Deputy Commissioner Anarkali Mahbub, Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner Syeda Farhana Kawnain, Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Md. Mizanur Rahman, Netrokona Deputy Commissioner Moin Ul Islam, Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Ahad, Habiganj Deputy Commissioner Mahmudul Kabir Murad, Rangamati Deputy Commissioner A K M Mamunur Rashid, Feni Deputy Commissioner Waheduzzaman, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. Kamal Hossain, Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner Saroj Kumar Nath, Bhola Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Masud Alam Siddique, Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Nazia Shirin, Kushtia Deputy Commissioner Md. Aslam Hossain, Natore Deputy Commissioner Shah Riaz, Pabna Deputy Commissioner Md. Jasim Uddin, Manikganj Deputy Commissioner S M Ferdous, Lakshmipur Deputy Commissioner Anjan Chandra Pal and Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Elias Hossain.

The list also includes Mohammad Hossain, former Personal Secretary to then State Minister for Local Government Jahangir Kabir Nanak and currently a Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, former Joint Secretary of the Power Division Nirod Chandra Mondal, RAJUK Director Mohammad Nurul Islam and S M Shah Habibur Rahman Hakim.

Meanwhile, sources at the Ministry of Public Administration said the officials of the BCS 20th batch joined government service on May 31, 2001. Accordingly, each of them completed 25 years of service on May 30 this year. Under Section 45 of the Government Service Act, the government may retire them without showing any cause if it considers such action necessary in the public interest. The provision states, “After a government employee completes 25 years of service, the government may, at any time, if it considers it necessary in the public interest, retire the employee from service without assigning any reason: Provided that, where the President is the appointing authority, prior approval of the President shall be obtained.”