Bangladesh's interim government is grappling with a significant administrative slowdown since assuming power in August. Ministries, including the Ministry of Public Administration, are facing sluggish work progress, and development projects appear similarly stagnant. An environment of uncertainty and fear is palpable among government officials, which is contributing to the slowdown. A visit to the Secretariat revealed apprehension among officials across various departments. There is widespread concern regarding transfers or potential reassignment to less desirable roles, particularly among those appointed or promoted during the Awami League government. As a result, there is little momentum in executing tasks. Several ministries still have secretaries from the previous government, who are also anxious about being made Officers on Special Duty (OSD) or facing enforced retirement. Meanwhile, eight secretaries, who had been deprived of promotions during the Awami League tenure and have now been reappointed on a contractual basis, are encountering challenges in adjusting to their roles. The current officers who held positions under Sheikh Hasina's administration appear hesitant to fully accept them, which has resulted in slower operational progress. "These new appointments are struggling to match up with others as they return to the administration after long gaps in service," an official noted. Some key ministries reported that interim government advisers have instructed budget cuts for projects initiated during the previous administration. Advisers are taking time to understand ongoing projects, and in some cases, work has been halted. There are no signs that the interim administration plans to introduce new projects, adding to concerns about the overall development pace. In addition to project-related delays, various field-level development tasks and social allowances are not being disbursed properly. Complaints have emerged, particularly about pensions for widows, the elderly, and people with disabilities under the Ministry of Social Welfare. Rural development projects under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, such as “Kabita” and “Kabikha”, are also stalled. Sharmeen S Murshid, adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, attributed the difficulties to resistance from existing government staff. "Whenever a government assumes office, it needs its own team," she remarked at an event this week. "The old team has to step aside for things to function smoothly." Read: Experts suggest quick reforms in recruitment for transparency in administration Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, adviser to the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, echoed similar concerns, stating, "A revolution has taken place in our country. After a revolution, things do not function as they did before, yet we are clinging to the previous system. Some members of the administration are creating stagnation through non-cooperation. If needed, the government will consider replacing uncooperative officials." Acknowledging the stagnant work environment, Nahid Islam, the Information and Broadcasting Adviser, said during a press conference last month, "Yes, there is stagnation in the administration. We are observing this and facing non-cooperation from various places. Hopefully, the stagnation will dissipate soon." The lack of appointed secretaries in at least seven ministries and divisions further exacerbates the issue. Additional secretaries managing these departments are only performing routine tasks without making any policy decisions, contributing to the overall lack of progress. Amid this slowdown, officials from various batches who have been deprived of promotions are demanding proper placement in senior positions. At least 100 officials appointed on a contractual basis during the Awami League regime have had their contracts terminated. Conversely, eight officials who had been sidelined during Hasina’s tenure were reappointed as secretaries and subsequently promoted to senior secretary positions. Among these appointees, Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Md Siraj Uddin Mia, Dr Mokhles-ur-Rahman, Dr M.A. Momen, M.A. Akmal Hossain Azad, Ehsanul Haque, and Dr Nasimul Ghani are now said to have significant control over the administration. In addition, Siddiq Zobair and A.S.M. Saleh Ahmed have been appointed as senior secretaries in the education and land ministries, respectively. Promotions have been scarce for long-serving officials from other batches, sparking discontent. Some argue that even junior colleagues have surpassed them in rank. Abu Mohammad Yusuf, a retired additional secretary, lamented, "Despite being qualified, I was not made a secretary. Officials who were junior to me have now taken senior positions." Dr Mokhles-ur-Rahman, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, explained that addressing these issues, which have persisted for over 16 years, would take time. He expressed optimism, saying, "We hope to complete the placement of suitable individuals in all ministries and departments soon, which will then accelerate progress." Read more:Chaos, instability prevail in public administration as chain of command collapses The interim government faces significant challenges as it attempts to restore momentum in the administration while managing the demands of marginalised officials and overcoming resistance within the ranks.  

The Ministry of Public Administration has issued an order appointing 2,064 candidates from the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination to various cadres. This appointment comes nearly 10 months after the recommendation by the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC). The recruitment order, issued on Tuesday by the New Recruitment Division of the ministry, includes appointments to several cadres: 293 in the Administration cadre, 96 in the Police cadre, 25 in the Foreign Service cadre, 32 in the Audit and Accounts cadre, and 22 in the Information cadre, among others. The entire recruitment process for this BCS took almost four years to complete. Hire 3rd, 4th class employees through PSC: President to BPSC According to the order, the appointed candidates must report to their assigned offices under the controlling ministries by November 2. If no further instructions are provided by the cadre-controlling ministries, they are expected to join their respective ministries by the given date. Failure to join by the deadline will be considered a refusal to accept the position, and the appointment will be canceled. The appointees are required to undergo basic training at the Public Administration Training Center or another government-designated institution, followed by professional and specialized training at their respective workplaces. The order also states that the appointees will serve a two-year probationary period. If deemed unfit for continued employment during this time, they may be dismissed without notice or consultation with the Public Service Commission. The results of the 43rd BCS were published by BPSC on December 26 last year, recommending a total of 2,805 candidates for recruitment, including 2,163 for cadre positions and 642 for non-cadre roles. The preliminary exam for the 43rd BCS took place on October 29, 2021, with 442,832 applicants, the second-highest number of applicants in BCS history.

The interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, is set to appoint new Deputy Commissioners (DCs) across all districts in Bangladesh. A new fit list has been prepared, prioritizing those who were previously overlooked for promotion during the Awami League government's tenure. The fit list, developed by the Ministry of Public Administration, includes over 600 officials from the BCS 24th, 25th, and 27th batches, who have been deprived of promotions in the past 15-16 years. The interim government aims to address these long-standing grievances by considering these officials for the DC roles. A high-ranking official confirmed that the previous fit list created under the Awami League government is not being considered. Instead, the new list focuses on officials with extensive field administration experience who were previously sidelined due to political reasons. Many of these officials were labeled as supporters of opposition parties, leading to negative intelligence reports that blocked their promotions. In light of this, the government has relaxed the criteria for DC appointments to give these officials a fair chance. The committee, led by the Cabinet Secretary, has made special provisions to ensure that these deserving officers are appointed as DCs. Read more: Interim Govt taking steps to declare Metro Rail a key point installation for enhanced security: Adviser Fouzul The new policy allows officials who have been in the BCS (Administration) cadre for at least one year as Deputy Secretary and have a minimum of two years of experience in specific roles, such as Deputy Director or Additional Deputy Commissioner, to be eligible for the DC positions. They must also have a satisfactory disciplinary record over the past five years and demonstrate proficiency in project management, ICT, and both Bangla and English. Despite their qualifications, many of these officers were denied DC positions under the previous government. The decision to relax the policy and create a new fit list reflects the interim government's commitment to addressing these past injustices. The process of appointing new DCs began on Saturday, with interviews of 60 officials from the BCS 24th batch conducted under the supervision of Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain. Interviews will continue over the next three days, involving more officials from the 24th batch and beyond. Several Deputy Secretaries from various ministries and departments have been shortlisted for the DC positions. The interviews include officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Finance, and the Anti-Corruption Commission, among others. Read more: Interim Government to publish White Paper on current economic situation In a related development, approximately 200 Joint Secretaries from the 9th to 13th BCS batches, who were also deprived of promotions, are set to be promoted to Additional Secretary. The recommendation for these promotions was sent to the Chief Adviser’s office on Saturday, with an official notification expected by Sunday or Monday. However, it has been reported that certain officials who previously served in key roles within the Prime Minister's Office will not be considered for the DC appointments, as per directives from higher authorities.

A job circular has been issued in Bangladesh Railway for recruitment of manpower. A total of 235 people will take up one post in the railway revenue sector. Anyone can join the posts subject to qualification as per the notification. Applications for the positions will start online from September 6. From then on the next one month can be applied. People will be recruited for the post of Assistant Station Master. Name, post and salary of Bangladesh Railway Recruitment: Assistant Station Master. Grade 15. Number of posts: 235. Salary TK.9700-23490/- Read Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Recruitment Circular 2022: Job Circular for the Position of Officer Cadet Eligibility of application Eligibility, experience and age limit for applying for different positions are different. To apply for the post of ‘Assistant Station Master’, the interested candidate must have a bachelor’s degree with at least second class or equivalent CGPS ​​in any subject from a recognized university. Residents of all districts except Jhalokati district will get the opportunity to apply. Other conditions of application can be known in the notification. Age of application Those who will turn 18 on September 1 this year can apply for the post of 'Assistant Station Master'. In addition, those over the age of 30 can also apply. On March 25 last year, the government decided to give a chance to those who have completed 30 years of age to apply for government jobs. The Ministry of Public Administration also issued a notice in this regard. In the light of that notification, Bangladesh Railway has issued recruitment circular. According to the job advertisement, candidates who turned 30 on March 25 last year will also be eligible to apply. However, the maximum age limit for children of freedom fighters and physically challenged applicants is 32 years on the same day. Affidavits will not be admissible in case of proof of age. Rules of application Interested candidates can apply by visiting the website (http://br.teletalk.com.bd). Those who are interested can fill the application form and submit it till October 6, 2021. Also read:Metro Rail Job Circular 2021 (Dhaka Mass Transit Company) dmtc.org.bd

The ministry of public administration has proposed to increase the maximum age limit to enter government jobs by 21 months from current limit of 30 years due to prolonged academic life caused by Covid-19 restrictions. The proposal has been sent to the prime minister, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told reporters at the Secretariat on Thursday. Read: Age limit relaxed for govt jobs except BCS He said, “We have taken several initiatives for people of different classes and professions to make up for the loss caused by corona. A new proposal for government job seekers has been sent to the prime minister. “ “We did the same last year. We relaxed the age limit allowing candidates who turned 30 after March 25 to apply for government jobs.” Farhad also said those who turned 30 on March 25 last year (2020) will also get the benefit. He said they will get age exemption up to 21 months. It's a big deal. If the Prime Minister approves, we will issue a notification in this regard.” At present the age limit for entry into government service is 30 years, which is 32 years for the children of freedom fighters. Read: Age limit in govt jobs likely to be eased for pandemic: Ministry The government increased the age limit by five months in the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic last year. Asked what the government's next strategy would be if the corona infection situation deteriorates further, Farhad,” We will consider both strategies. We may impose a lockdown if needed but also brainstorm about how to restrict transmission without enforcing strict restrictions considering the economy and livelihood.”

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Chattogram’s Satkania has been made an officer on special duty (OSD) after he fined a doctor who was going to see a patient during the lockdown. On Sunday, UNO Nazrul Islam was made OSD to the Ministry of Public Administration over the order of KM Al-Amin, deputy secretary of the ministry. Earlier on Friday, UNO Nazrul Islam imposed a fine of Tk 1,000 on Dr. Farhad Kabir who was on his way to his private chamber to check an emergency patient. Also read: Lockdown: 496 vehicles fined Tk 12.8 lakh in Dhaka; 618 arrested At that time, the UNO also threatened to jail the doctor. Later the doctor made a Facebook post over the issue. As the issue came up in a number of newspapers, the Bangladesh Medical Association leaders demanded the intervention of the civil surgeon on the allegation of harassing the doctors. Also read: Lockdown: Mobile courts collect fines of Tk 76,300 in Sylhet, 1 held Later, UNO Nazrul Islam of Satkania was made OSD. However, Nazrul denied the allegations when contacted.

Awami League leader M Zahirul Alam Dobhas has been appointed as the chairman of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) for another three years. A notice is this regard has been issued by the Ministry of Public Administration. Dobhas has been asked to resign from other organizational or institutional posts before joining as the chairman for the new term. In his previous term, CDA was not seen carrying out any significant urban development works. For this a section of the people of Chattogram are critical of the authority’s decision of extending his term.

Md Abu Bakar Siddique has been appointed as new Chairman of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

The local branches of scheduled banks will remain closed on October 17 (Saturday) in areas under Naogaon- 6 and Dhaka -5 parliamentary seats which will go to by-polls.

The government has appointed new deputy commissioners to two districts -- Chapainawabganj and Shariatpur.