The post of Secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration has remained vacant for two weeks as the government delays the appointment of a new official due to various reasons, including political lobbying, the search for a qualified candidate, and concerns over avoiding controversy.
Sources at the ministry indicated that the appointment might be finalised within this week.
The key position has been unfilled for the past two weeks and complications have reportedly prevented the government from making an appointment. Intense lobbying from different quarters is said to be influencing the process.
Former Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman, was transferred to the Planning Commission on September 21 amid controversy.
Since then, Abu Shaheen Md Asaduzzaman, Additional Secretary (Career Planning and Training-CPT Wing), has been serving as Acting Secretary.
According to the sources, the delay in appointing a full-time secretary stems from multiple complexities. On one hand, there is continuous pressure to appoint officials favoured by political parties, while on the other, with the upcoming elections in mind, the government faces the challenge of selecting qualified and non-controversial candidates who would be acceptable to all sides.
Due to these challenges, they said, the interim government has yet to appoint a new administrative secretary.
Sources at the Ministry of Public Administration and the Cabinet Division told UNB that several political quarters have recommended their preferred candidates for the post.
The government is reportedly struggling to make a decision that would not alienate any group.
Officials are said to be drawing lessons from previous experiences, where hasty appointments to key positions led to backlash and required reassignments. As a result, the top level of government is now taking a more cautious and deliberate approach before filling such a vital post.
Several names have emerged as potential candidates for the role of Public Administration Secretary, including ASM Saleh Ahmed, Senior Secretary at the Ministry of Land; Md Nazrul Islam, Secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works; and Md Rezaul Maksud Zohad, Secretary of the Local Government Division.
There are also speculations that retired Senior Secretary Md Shamsul Alam is being considered for the post.
When contacted, a few senior secretaries confirmed that many eligible candidates are now reluctant to take on the role, fearing possible fallout, due to past controversies surrounding appointments to this position.
An official from the Recruitment, Promotion and Deputation Wing of the Ministry of Public Administration, requesting anonymity, told UNB, “So far, we have not received any official instruction. We have no information yet. But we believe the government will make the appointment very soon.”