Cabinet Division removes CA’s principal secretary from committee on public administration

The Cabinet Division has removed the principal secretary to the chief adviser from the committee on public administration, which oversees appointments, transfers, and disciplinary matters of senior officials. 

A notification reconstituting the committee was issued yesterday (23 September).

The reshuffle comes amid controversy after retired secretary Shamsul Alam alleged in a Facebook post on 20 September that senior posts were being sold during the current interim government.

He claimed that promotions to secretary-level positions were being secured in exchange for cash.

The day after his allegations, Senior Secretary Mukhles Ur Rahman was removed from the Ministry of Public Administration and reassigned to the Planning Commission.

The six-member committee was originally formed on 8 January headed by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed.

Its mandate covers providing recommendations on recruitment, transfers, and discipline of senior officials under the ministry of public administration, including field administration, as well as senior officials in the police and ministry of foreign affairs.

Members of the committee included Power and Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, cabinet secretary, and the secretary or senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration. Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam was initially named member secretary.

The committee was first restructured on 26 August, with Rizwana Hasan made member secretary. Following Nahid Islam's resignation, the new Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Mahfuz Alam was included as a member, while the principal secretary to the chief adviser was also added.