The interim government led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has started taking disciplinary action against the government officials who played key roles in the engineered election during the previous Awami League regime.
The government sent 22 former Deputy Commissioners (DCs) on compulsory retirement due to their roles in the controversial elections held under the previous Awami League government, said Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry Md Mokhles Ur Rahman on Thursday.
The officials had served as returning officers in the general elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024, which are widely criticized as controversial and unaccepted, he said while talking to reporters at the secretariat.
“Those who served as returning officers in these polls played a very negative role. None of them protested, resigned, or refused to take part in the election process," he added.
Md Mokhles Ur Rahman said: “43 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”
Earlier on Wednesday, A total of 33 joint secretaries, who served as Deputy Commissioners and Returning Officers during the controversial 2018 national election, were designated as officers on special duty (OSD).
The Ministry of Public Administration issued six separate notifications in this regard.
Previously, 12 officers had been made OSDs for the same reason.
However, the notifications did not reveal the cause of action taken against them.
Sources from the Public Administration Ministry revealed that because of their roles in the 2018 national parliament election, action has been taken.
Sources at the Public Administration Ministry said the government is in the process of taking action against at least 110 officials for their election-time roles.