143 appointed at BARI who were selected during AL regime

Despite objections from various quarters and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement representatives, 143 people have been appointed against 28 vacant positions at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), retaining the freedom fighter quota, challenged quota, and all other quotas.

The recruitment process was completed on 26 December 2024, and the names of the appointees were published on BARI's website, which has sparked anger and disappointment among different groups.

After the fall of the Hasina government, the current director general (DG) of BARI, along with the secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, received written appeals to cancel the recruitment process. The current DG faces accusations that, despite numerous objections, he implemented the recruitment process for people selected by the former DG, who was loyal to the previous Awami League (AL) government.

It is alleged that the then DG finalised the appointment of 143 people recommended by supporters of the previous AL government, including ministers and MPs, to various positions in the BARI.

On 28 August 2023, the then DG of the AL government issued a newspaper advertisement calling for applications to fill 143 positions against 28 posts, retaining the freedom fighter quota, challenged quota, and all other quotas.

However, due to the prevailing political situation, no one with differing political views could apply, except those aligned with the AL.
Before the government changed on 5 August, the then DG Debasish Sarkar and the then director (research), now the current DG Dr Md Abdullah Yusuf Akhand jointly started the recruitment process.

Allegations have surfaced that both were involved in financial transactions and secret recruitment dealings surrounding the appointments.

Allegations were made that, by depriving the truly meritorious candidates, the previous AL government resorted to various irregularities and nepotism to appoint less qualified people with party affiliations.

However, after 5 August, BARI scientists began protesting, raising accusations of various irregularities, corruption, and autocracy against the former DG Debasish Sarkar, demanding his removal.

He could not return to the office after 5 August, and as a result, he could not finalise the appointments.

Following the change in government, on 22 October, under the banner of "Deshpremik Sacheton Nagorik Somaj" Md Rokonuzzaman Sarkar and Nazmul Khandaker Sumon submitted written appeals to various places, including the secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, to cancel the recruitment process.

The appeals alleged that in 2023, during the AL government's tenure, a recruitment advertisement was issued for 28 vacant positions. It was claimed that appointments were made based on party considerations and financial transactions, retaining quotas, and bypassing genuinely meritorious candidates.

Human chains and protest programmes were held demanding to cancel the recruitment process at BARI for several days. However, none of these concerns were taken into account.

On the other hand, after the government changed, Dr Md Abdullah Yusuf Akhand, the then director, allegedly declared himself a BNP supporter and lobbied with higher authorities to secure the DG position. Once appointed, he initiated steps to finalise the recruitment process.

Ignoring the demands from various quarters, he published the final list of appointments on 26 December.

After the publication of the final recruitment list, the anti-discrimination movement students protested against the decision and submitted a written appeal to the DG. They warned that if the recruitment was not cancelled immediately, they would launch a massive movement.

BARI DG Dr Md Abdullah Yusuf Akhand said that the recruitment process had already been finalised while retaining all quotas.

He further said that he only issued the final appointment letters after police verification.

He claimed that approval from the ministry was obtained before finalising the appointments and asserted that there was no irregularity or corruption in the recruitment process.