Major shake-up: 10 secretaries lose contracts; one faces forced retirement

In a significant administrative overhaul, the interim government has terminated the contracts of 10 secretaries or officials of equivalent rank and also sent another secretary to compulsory retirement.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued separate notifications to this end on Wednesday.

After taking charge on 9 August, the interim government announced major state reforms. Since then, numerous officials with ties to the former Awami League government have resigned, either willfully or in the face of protests. 

The current administration has now started to terminate other officials, which many described as the first step to remove AL loyalists from the administration.

One of the officials whose contracts were cancelled yesterday is Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, a senior secretary and chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

Leaders of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement and NBR officials have been calling for Muneem's resignation since the interim government took over. 

The Awami League government had appointed Muneem on a contractual basis twice after his regular term ended, with the most recent contract signed last January. 

The nine other officials, whose contracts were cancelled, are — National Parliament Secretariat Secretary KM Abdus Salam, Road Transport Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Lokman Hossain Miah (senior secretary), Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmaker, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain, Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter, Science and Technology Secretary Md Ali Hossain, Railways Secretary Dr Md Humayun Kabir and BIDA Executive Member (Secretary) Md Khairul Islam.

Earlier, on 7 August, the contractual appointment of Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, the principal secretary to the former prime minister, was cancelled.

Public Security Division secretary on forced retirement

The government sent Jahangir Alam, secretary of the Public Security Division at the Ministry of Home Affairs, on compulsory retirement yesterday. 

According to the circular, Jahangir Alam, who had completed 25 years of service, was sent to retirement in the public interest, as deemed necessary by the government.

Previously, Jahangir served as secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat and was transferred to the Public Security Division last May. 

He was the EC Secretary during the 2024 national elections in January.

The Public Security Division oversees law enforcement agencies such as Bangladesh Police, RAB, BGB, and Ansar. 

Jahangir was in charge when the quota reform movement gained momentum in July.

Recently, a video circulating on social media showed police officers showing footage to former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, describing police firing  against protesting students.

Jahangir was seen observing the video alongside Asaduzzaman Khan at the time, leading to calls on social media for his removal from office and legal action.

BTRC chairman resigns

Engineer Md Mohiuddin Ahmed has stepped down from his position as chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). 

He submitted his resignation letter to the secretary of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and ICT yesterday.

After the fall of the AL government, the nation is witnessing a wave of resignations among officials who are presumably loyal to the former government.

Previously, Abdur Rouf Talukder resigned as governor of the Bangladesh Bank, and Shibli Rubayat stepped down as chairman of the Bangladesh Securities Exchange Commission.

Other contractual appointments to be terminated

Last Sunday, the advisory council of the interim government decided to terminate all contractual appointments within the administration.

There has been longstanding dissatisfaction among administration officials regarding contractual appointments, as many qualified individuals were overlooked in favour of temporary appointees.

Out of the last 19 secretaries who were on contract, 10 had their contracts cancelled yesterday. It is expected that other contractual appointments will also be terminated.