An officer on special duty (OSD) really means an officer with no duty. Making a government official OSD is quite a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. “It is a curse to be made OSD, and I pray to the almighty that this fate does not befall even my enemies,” an OSD official, who was serving as an additional secretary of Water Resources Ministry told this correspondent on condition of anonymity. The official was made OSD in a notice issued by the Ministry of Public Administration in February. The government employee has no idea when he will return to work. Another government official, who served as a joint secretary with the Ministry of Science and Technology, was made OSD seven months ago. Despite having a job on paper, he has not worked for months. The government employee visits the secretariat every work day. After checking in, the official heads straight to the library and chats with other OSDs. After the office hours end, he goes home. It has become the official’s daily routine for months. Speaking to the correspondent, another additional secretary, who has been made OSD, said: “The time is bad for us. I have my post, my allowances and my salary, but no desk to call my own. I do not have duties anymore. “This is a punishment, and this is also a curse for my professional life.” Describing the impact of being OSD on his personal life, the official said: “I am concerned that my family is thinking less of me because of this situation. They might be thinking that I did something wrong, or that I am not qualified enough. “Many believe that I was made OSD because of my political views.” Addressing the same issue, the joint secretary formerly with the Ministry of Science and Technology said: “I have not visited my native village for seven months. My relatives could ask about the ministry I currently work on, or seek for special passes to visit the secretariat. “I am ashamed to admit to my relatives that I have been made OSD.” The official confirmed that salary and other facilities are still available to OSD employees. “Some people think that I suffered the fate because I support a certain political group,” he added. Along with the two government employees, hundreds of other officials are suffering the indignity of being an OSD. According to the Ministry of Public Administration, OSD officials receive their salary, allowances, cars and all the facilities associated with their post, but they have no duties or responsibilities. They check in at the ministry, and then spend their office hours at the library or the canteen. The insider added that many posts have been created in the secretariat, but responsibilities are currently too few for the large number of promoted and appointed officials. “Officials are becoming agitated because many have no responsibilities or duties,” the insider said. Meanwhile, former bureaucrats also pointed out that too many OSDs are disrupting the organisational structure of the public administration. Despite the ongoing situation, the government promoted 128 officials from the post of joint secretary to additional secretary on December 11 this year. With the newly promoted officials, the total number of government employees with the rank of additional secretary currently stands at 560, but the total number of permanent posts is only 111. The promoted officials have been transferred to the Ministry of Public Administration, but as OSDs. On November 27, 2016, 536 officials were promoted to the ranks of additional secretary, joint secretary and deputy secretary. In May the same year, 217 officials were promoted in the above mentioned posts. The government promoted 873 officials in 2015, and 267 senior assistant secretaries were promoted to the rank of deputy secretary in 23rd April, 2017. The Dhaka Tribune has learned that the administration has only 430 permanent posts. However, the government on December 21, 2017, promoted 193 deputy secretaries to joint secretaries. Due to these promotions, 842 joint secretaries are now working in the administration. From 2009 to 2013, the Awami League-led government promoted 2,528 officials. Among them, 1,066 were promoted to the rank of deputy secretary, 1,091 to joint secretary post, 293 to additional secretary post and 78 to secretary post. The “Podonnoti Bidhimala, 2002,” which is the government regulation for promoting its officials, was followed to promote these officials. The regulations state that only officials who have at least fifteen years of work experience, including five years of experience as a deputy secretary, can be considered for promotion to the joint secretary post. Speaking on the issue, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said: “If the government cannot give responsibilities to the promoted officials, promotions should not be handed out.” Echoing the same view, Abu Hossain Muhammad, an assistant professor of Public Administration Department of Dhaka University, said: “In many countries, the ruling parties employ various tactics to keep the administration on their side, and promotion is one these tactics. “Promotion grants an official social status and financial benefits. This is also a common practice in Bangladesh, and different governments have done it in the past. This is no surprise to any of us.” Sounding a note of caution, Prof Hossain added: “Those who have been promoted must be given responsibilities, or growing disappointment might lead to dissent in the administration.”