The government has sent two secretaries, one additional secretary, 22 former deputy commissioners (DCs), and a joint secretary on compulsory retirement due to their roles during the previous Awami League government. The Ministry of Public Administration issued separate notifications in this regard on Thursday.
The officials are: Md. Kamrul Hasan, Secretary of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry; Zakia Sultana, Senior Secretary of the Industries Ministry; and Additional Secretary Shaila Farzana. Among them, Kamrul Hasan served as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Moulvibazar during the previous Awami League government.
According to the ministry, Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana has been sent into mandatory retirement for opposing the July-August uprising. Additionally, Joint Secretary Dhananjoy Das has been temporarily suspended for taking a stance against the uprising and spreading propaganda about the current government.
These former DCs had served as returning officers in those controversial elections. The joint secretary was absent from his workplace since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5 last year.
Other officials affected include Abu Saleh Md Ferdaus Khan, Additional Secretary of the Planning Ministry; Zakia Khanam, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industries; Ahmed Kabir, Officer on Special Duty (Deputy Secretary) of the Public Administration Ministry; SM Alam, Officer on Special Duty (Additional Secretary) of the Public Administration Ministry; Enamul Habib, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment; Md Shafiul Arif, Additional Secretary of the Rural Development and Co-operatives Division; Foyez Ahammad, Additional Secretary (attached) of the Power Division; Md Mokhlesur Rahman, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; and Md Hamidul Haque, Additional Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division.
The Ministry of Public Administration is set to issue a gazette notification to this effect today (Thursday). Earlier, the government had made 45 former DCs officers on special duty (OSD) in two phases.
Dr Mokhles Ur Rahman, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, told reporters at the secretariat on Thursday afternoon, "The DCs who served in the controversial and questionable elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024 have committed administrative misconduct by failing to protest against any wrongdoing."
"Therefore, those with over 25 years of service are being sent into compulsory retirement, while those with less than 25 years of service are being made OSD."
"Those who served as returning officers in these polls played a very negative role. None of them protested, resigned, or refused to take part," he added.
He said, "43 former DCs have been made officers on special duty (OSD). Those with less than 25 years of service have been made OSD, while those who have served for more than 25 years were sent on compulsory retirement."
