Officials from 25 BCS cadres protest 'discriminatory' actions for social media posts

Officials from 25 civil service cadres formed a human chain today to protest discriminatory temporary suspensions and departmental actions initiated by the administration cadre against officers from other cadres who were suspended for expressing opinions on social media.

The protesters demanded the establishment of duty-based ministries, the abolition of the Deputy Secretary (DS) pool quota, and equal treatment for all cadres.

Organised by the Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, the protest took place at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital from 5:10pm to 6:30pm, with officials representing all 25 cadres participating, according to a press release.

They said 12 officers from different cadres were recently suspended for expressing opinions on social media. Despite assurances from government authorities, the issue remains unresolved. Moreover, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against some of the suspended officers.

In contrast, the officials alleged, members of the administration cadre have made objectionable remarks online, violated government rules, been involved in altercations inside ministries, and even organised processions – yet no punitive action has been taken against them.

Tensions escalated further following a recent recommendation from the Public Administration Reform Commission to reserve 50% of the DS pool quota for the administration cadre, with the remaining 50% to be filled through competitive exams open to all other cadres. The council condemned the move, claiming it was made without any consultation with stakeholders and announced protest programmes in response.

The officials accused a vested group of deliberately complicating affairs in key ministries such as health, education, statistics, postal services, family planning, customs, and taxation to serve their own interests.

They also alleged that the reform commission is promoting one cadre's agenda without talking to the council. Although some government advisers said the plan isn't final and could be discussed, the council claimed the commission is trying to finalise it based only on the reform body's proposal.

Call for service equity

The protesters slammed the sidelining of 55,000 cadre officials for a small group's benefit and renewed their call for a fair, people-focused civil service. They demanded duty-based ministries, merit-based DS recruitment, equal treatment for all cadres, and a quick fix to existing issues.

Highlighting the DS pool quota as inconsistent with the spirit of the July uprising, the council said, "No student or citizen made sacrifices only for quotas to persist post-July. All other quotas have been abolished – this one must go too."

The officials expressed their determination to continue their movement for a transparent and equitable civil service.

They warned that if the suspensions and departmental proceedings are not withdrawn by 26 May, they would stage a half-day work stoppage from 9am to 1pm on 27 and 28 May.

Previously, the council held a full-day work stoppage on 2 March and organised a one-hour nationwide work stoppage and human chain protest on 24 and 26 December last year, respectively.