Staff Reporter :
Officials from the administration cadre in Bangladesh Civil Service demonstrated at the secretariat on Sunday protesting a proposed plan to reduce their promotion opportunities to the post of deputy secretary, and have more non-administrative cadre officers in the position.
Hundreds of admin officials led by Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) President Md Anwar Ullah took positions at the public administration ministry this morning.
Later, 15-20 BASA leaders sat for a meeting with the ministry’s Senior Secretary Md Mokhles Ur Rahman and submitted their demands and proposals in a written format.
The protesters voiced their concerns to Mokhles Ur Rahman, warning of potential legal action if their demands were not addressed. “We want promotions to be solely merit-based.
This government came to power through an anti-quota movement, and we do not want another movement over this issue,” said Muhammad Mofijur Rahman, a leader of the “Discrimination Eradication Council” representing 25 cadres.
After the meeting, Mokhles said the ministry will sit with BASA to discuss the issues this week before the reform commission’s recommendations are finalised.
“There will not be any misunderstanding between officials from different cadres after this meeting,” he said.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association also protested the commission’s recommendations.
They argued that the proposed changes would fail to create a “people-oriented, efficient, impartial, and modern administration.”
On 17 December, the reform commission’s chief Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury told reporters that they will recommend keeping 50% of the deputy secretary posts for admin officials and the other 50% for officials from other cadres when it comes to promotion.
According to the current rules, 75% of the deputy secretary posts are reserved for admin officials and the other 25% for other cadres.
