Tensions within the Bangladesh Civil Service deepened on Thursday as administration cadre officials pushed for exclusive promotions, while officials from the 25 other cadres demonstrated nationwide for the second day against the dominance of administration cadre in the civil service.
The Bangladesh Administrative Service Association on Thursday submitted an 11-point explanations to the Public Administration Reform Commission, advocating for the establishment of a Bangladesh Administrative Service exclusively for administration cadre officials.
Officials from the other civil service cadres formed human chains for one hour at offices across the country, demanding merit-based promotions to deputy secretary and higher ranks, and a reduction in the dominance of administration cadre聽 officials in the civil service.
The tensions within the civil service rose following the reform commission鈥檚 December 17 disclosure of proposed recommendations.
Since the Public Administration Reform Commission disclosed its draft recommendations, civil servants under the administration cadre and the rest 25 cadres have faced off against each other, claiming their fair shares in the administrative services.
The reform commission鈥檚 recommendations included reserving 50 per cent of deputy secretary posts for administration cadre officials, with the remainder distributed across the 25 other cadres.
BASA president Md Anwar Ullah Tanvir Ahmed, also the Dhaka deputy commissioner, defended their stance at a meeting with the reform commission, citing a Supreme Court order mandating a 75-per cent quota for administration cadre officials for the promotion under Article 111 of the Constitution.
鈥楾he commission must now consider our demand,鈥� Anwar Ullah told 抖阴精品, adding that BASA would refrain from issuing any ultimatums or organising any protests.
The reform commission member secretary, Md Mokhles ur Rahman, also senior secretary at the public administration ministry, and the other commission members, including former secretary Mohammad Tarek, former joint secretary Rizwan Khayer and student representative Mehedi Hassan, were present in the meeting.
Officials from the 25 Bangladesh Civil Service cadres on Thursday held the human-chain programmes under the banner of the Inter-Cadre Council to Eliminate Discrimination.
The protesters opposed the Public Administration Reform Commission鈥檚 proposals, vowing to continue protests until their demands are met. In the capital Dhaka, officials gathered at key office hubs, including Shikkha Bhaban, Ganapurta Bhaban and Bangladesh Betar Bhaban.
At Shikkha Bhaban, ABM Rezaul Karim, director general of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, expressed solidarity with the movement, calling for an end to all discrimination in the civil service.
Public Works Department superintendent engineer Jamilur Rahman at Ganapurta Bhaban pledged continued protests until equality is achieved.
Kazi Meshbah Uddin Ahmed, principal of the Bangladesh Cooperative Academy, while standing in a human-chain in front of the Betar Bhaban, highlighted disparities in promotions, noting that administration cadre officials often reached the first grade, while the others remained stuck at lower levels.
鈥榃e demand a fair evaluation process and equal facilities,鈥� he said.
The Inter-Cadre Council鈥檚 convener, Muhammad Mofizur Rahman, emphasised the need for an inclusive senior service pool.
The council would hold a rally in Dhaka on January 4 and from there, its next course of actions would be announced, he added.
Our correspondents in Chattogram, Munshiganj and Magura reported that human chains were formed at different places, demanding equal opportunities in promotions, a public-friendly civil service and the abolition of administration cadre鈥檚 dominance.
