A prolonged delay in regular promotions has triggered a deep crisis within the public administration, leaving hundreds of officials in three tiers frustrated.
According to insiders, nearly 800 qualified officers are still waiting for promotion, including around 350 eligible for the rank of additional secretary, about 345 for joint secretary and at least 84 for deputy secretary.
Many of them say the prolonged delay has created widespread frustration and resentment within the civil service.
Senior officials and administration experts said uncertainty over promotions has intensified since the announcement of the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election although the election process itself poses no legal barrier to routine career advancement.
“If regular promotions are blocked, the country will be left with a frustrated and demoralised administration. That will inevitably slow down decision-making and day-to-day governance,” said former secretary AKM Abdul Awal Mazumdar.
The number of deprived officials at the deputy secretary and joint secretary levels is also rising.
Recently, 79 officers of the 30th BCS batch were denied promotion from senior assistant secretary to deputy secretary. Almost all of them have applied to the Ministry of Public Administration for a review.
Former additional secretary Mohammad Firoz Mia said delays in promotion always create resentment within the administration.
“If qualified officers are not promoted on time, frustration and anger grow and administrative work suffers. The election schedule is not a barrier to regular promotions. If necessary, the government should take approval from the Election Commission and ensure promotions on time. There is still time. If the government wants, it can act,” he said.
Sources at the ministry said at least 183 officers of the 24th BCS batch were deprived of promotion to joint secretary under the regular batch system.
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On March 20, 196 officials were promoted to joint secretary, but only 137 were selected from the 320 officers of the regular batch, leaving out 183, including five serving deputy commissioners.
In the case of promotion from joint secretary to additional secretary, the 20th BCS batch is being considered as the regular batch.
Around 300 officials, including 244 from the administration cadre and a significant number from other cadres are under consideration.
Ministry sources, however, said 43 officers of this batch who served as deputy commissioners and 40 who worked as personal secretaries to ministers during the tenure of the Sheikh Hasina government are not being considered this time.
The recruitment process of the 20th BCS batch was completed in 1999. Although they became eligible for promotion to joint secretary in 2019, they received promotion only in 2021.
Under service rules, they became eligible for promotion to additional secretary in 2023 after completing two years as joint secretary.
The Superior Selection Board (SSB) has already finalised the promotion list after analysing their service records but the government failed to issue the gazette at the last moment.
Apart from the administration cadre, more than 150 officers from other cadres are also eligible for promotion to joint secretary but have not been promoted. Most of them have applied for a review. The SSB has held several meetings in response.
The officials facing allegations of irregularities or corruption, those with ongoing cases by the Anti-Corruption Commission or departmental authorities, and those who served as ministers’ personal secretaries or deputy commissioners during the previous government are not being considered, ministry sources said.
Public Administration Secretary Ehsanul Haque told UNB that the government is fully aware of the issue. “We are collecting information regarding those who have not received regular promotions. A decision will definitely come on this,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid said several applications have already been received and multiple meetings have been held.
“We are working on the issue. Let us see how much we can do within this time,” he said.
On condition of anonymity several officials said many officers who were close personal secretaries to ministers during the Awami League government have already received promotions.
Administration experts warn that failure to ensure timely promotion will severely disrupt the functioning of government, weaken morale and ultimately harm public service delivery.