Gazipur City Corp secretary made OSD, official suspended over letters to mosques seeking prayers for Mujib
Namita Dey said, “Administrative official Hamida Khatun mixed the letter with other files and got it signed [by me] in a hurry... After learning about the matter, I quickly issued a revised letter. It was an unintentional mistake”
Gazipur City Corporation Secretary Namita Dey has been made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for writing letters to various mosques requesting them to organise special prayers for the forgiveness of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's soul as part of the celebration of the Independence and National Day.
The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification signed by Abul Hayat Md Rafiq, joint secretary of the Public Administration Unit-2 Branch, yesterday (25 March).
Besides, Hamida Khatun, an administrative official of the city Corporation, has been temporarily suspended over the incident in an order issued by the city corporation's Chief Executive Officer Abdul Latif Khan.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The matters were also confirmed to The Business Standard by Gazipur City Corporation Administrator and Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury.
He said, "It is an unfortunate and unexpected incident. Secretary Namita Dey has been made OSD and attached to the Ministry of Public Administration over this incident. In addition, she and Hamida Khatun have been issued show-cause notices in this regard. In addition, the administrative official has been temporarily suspended for negligence of duty."
Speaking on the matter, Namita Dey said, "Administrative official Hamida Khatun mixed the letter with other files and got it signed [by me] in a hurry. Hamida Khatun intentionally copied last year's letter and changed it to my name and the date. After learning about the matter, I quickly issued a revised letter. It was an unintentional mistake."
According to officials familiar with the matter, on 23 March, Secretary Namita Dey issued a letter regarding holding a special prayer on the occasion of the celebration of the Independence and National Day 2025 on 26 March.
The letters state that as part of the government's decision to celebrate the day with due dignity, mosques are requested to hold a special prayer session at a convenient time on 26 March for the forgiveness of the soul of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the progress of the country and the nation, and in memory of the martyrs of the Liberation War.
This letter, which does not have the signature of the officer who prepared it, contains the signature of Secretary Namita Dey.
The letter went viral on Facebook, prompting criticism from netizens. Later, yesterday afternoon, by the order of the president, Namita was made OSD.
Meanwhile, in a post on the official Facebook page of the city Corporation, another letter was issued on the same date and in the same tone to celebrate the great Independence and National Day, except for the part on seeking prayers for Mujib's soul.
