Advisers ask Public Admin to seek prior approval for transfer of officials
In recent letters to the ministry, advisers said sudden transfers of officials are obstructing their work as many experienced officers are being replaced by newcomers who often lack prior knowledge of their responsibilities, which leads to delays in processes
Highlights:
- In letters to public admin, advisers said sudden transfers of officials are obstructing their work
- Public admin saw a near-collapse after Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on 5 August
- From 11 Aug to 9 Oct, public admin issued 655 orders related to recruitment, transfers, promotions, contract cancellations, and compulsory retirements
Several advisers of the interim government have asked the Ministry of Public Administration to obtain approval prior to transferring, appointing or promoting officials within the ministries under their jurisdiction, according to admin ministry sources.
In recent letters to the ministry, advisers said sudden transfers of officials are obstructing their work as many experienced officers are being replaced by newcomers who often lack prior knowledge of their responsibilities, which leads to delays in processes.
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Public administration officials declined to comment on the matter on the record, but TBS has seen a copy of one of the letters.
Sources said Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives Ministry Adviser AF Hassan Arif sent a letter to the Chief Adviser's Office, which then forwarded it to the public admin ministry with instructions to take the necessary action.
Likewise, four advisers who oversee 10 ministries – Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Asif Nazrul, Power and Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, and another adviser – also sent letters to the admin ministry.
When asked, Adviser AF Hassan Arif at his land ministry office on Monday told TBS that it is not entirely correct to say that any specific directives have been issued to the public admin regarding the transfers, appointments, or promotions of officials.
He, however, acknowledged that the issue has been discussed in an Advisory Council meeting, emphasising that sudden transfers are causing disruptions and that changes to important positions or offices should be discussed beforehand.
Nevertheless, Hassan Arif did not confirm whether he sent the letter.
Adviser Asif Nazrul also said he had not issued any such instructions to the public admin and Adviser Adilur Rahman told TBS, "I will talk about this after a month."
The civil administration experienced a near-collapse immediately after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on 5 August.
Following the interim government's takeover, administration officials slowly began to resume work, but activities have not yet fully normalised.
Sources said a faction has emerged within the public administration, vying for promotions and better positions, claiming they have been overlooked for the past 15 years of Awami League rule.
In the first week of September, officials staged protests in front of the Ministry of Public Administration. On 10 and 11 September, there was unrest in the Secretariat regarding the appointment of deputy commissioners (DC). Since then, officials have reportedly continued to exert pressure for promotions and postings, even though there appears to be no public protests.
Conversely, those who were promoted during the previous government's tenure, assigned to favourable positions, or appointed on contracts are feeling apprehensive. As a result, administrative activities are not progressing properly.
According to public admin sources, more than half of the transfer recommendations are for the Ministry of Power and Energy, followed by the Local Government Division, finance ministry, health ministry, and the Security Services Division of the home ministry.
On 6 October, Md Abdur Rauf, additional secretary of the public administration ministry, told TBS, "We have never experienced a situation like this in public administration. Officials who were deprived of promotions for 16 years have been promoted, and now we are facing challenges in assigning them."
He assured that the rules and regulations regarding appointments are being properly adhered to and expressed optimism that within the next 15 days, administrative activities and the overall situation will stabilise.
According to the Ministry of Public Admin, around 530 officials have been promoted since 8 August, the day the interim government took over.
The first major wave of promotion in public administration occurred on 13 August when 117 senior assistant secretaries were promoted to deputy secretaries.
Within a week, 223 deputy secretaries were promoted to joint secretaries. Following this, on 25 August, 131 officers advanced from joint secretaries to additional secretaries. In total, the interim government promoted 471 officials between 8 and 25 August.
Later, around 60 officials received promotions to various positions, including joint secretary, additional secretary, and secretary. Yesterday, 10 non-cadre officials were appointed as assistant secretaries.
From 11 August to 9 October, the Ministry of Public Administration issued 655 orders related to recruitment, transfers, promotions, contract cancellations, and compulsory retirements.
Between 6 and 8 August, the ministry issued 22 notices, with transfer orders being the most prevalent among them.
A public admin official, on condition of anonymity, told TBS, "The ministry is facing a dilemma. Many individuals have been promoted and are now seeking new postings, while the advisers are reluctant to accept everyone.
"The detailed information of the appointee must be submitted to the Chief Adviser's Office for approval before the appointment is finalised, and the consent of the relevant ministry's adviser is also required."
