According to official sources, 124 posts, out of 219, at the Board have long been lying vacant, hampering its everyday activities.
Talking to some of its officials and employees, the UNB correspondent found that the present manpower shortage was created as no new officer or employee was hired for many years while many went on retirement by the time.
The Comilla Education Board started its journey in 1962 comprising 15 districts of greater Chattogram division.
Six of the districts -- Cumilla, Brahmnabaria, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni and Laxmipur -- are now under its jurisdiction after Chittagong and Sylhet education boards were established with five and four districts respectively in 1996 and 2001.
Sources said there are 219 approved posts at the Board. However, 124 of them at different levels have been lying vacant for long, said Shahidul Islam, deputy controller (Exam).
Of those, six out of 24 first class posts, 11 out of 19 second class, 81 out of 115 third class and 26 out of 61 fourth class posts are currently lying vacant, he said.
Of the first-class posts, one each of audit officer, information officer, sports officer, programmer, assistant programmer and assistant maintenance engineer is vacant.
One post of assistant secretary, assistant college inspector, personal secretary to the chairman, assistant sports officer, security officer, assistant librarian, deputy assistant engineer and data entry computer operator of the second-class employees each is also lying vacant.
A number of officials, who preferred not to be named, said the existing officers and employees of the Board have to endure tremendous pressure to cope with the everyday workload.
They said a deputy secretary (Academic) is performing the duty of the sports officer as additional charge.
The officials said as there is no information officer, people who come to avail themselves of various services face difficulties.
They demanded that manpower against the vacant posts be recruited immediately to ease their workload.
Contacted, Chairman of the Board Prof Md Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan said they lose a lot of staff as many officials and employees are going on retirement every year.
He said the required manpower will be hired following the approval of the Education Ministry.