Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid, former additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), has been dismissed from government service over prolonged unauthorized absence from his workplace.
The Home Ministry disclosed the decision in a notification issued on Saturday, stating that the dismissal would take effect retrospectively from August 6, 2024.
According to the notification, his unauthorized absence was treated as abandonment of service under government service regulations, prompting departmental proceedings against him.
Harun-or-Rashid, a deputy inspector general (DIG)-rank officer, was serving as additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) at the DMP when he stopped attending work without permission from the appropriate authority.
Despite repeated attempts to contact him at his current and permanent addresses and through email, he did not return to work.
Subsequently, Police Headquarters sent a letter to the Home Ministry requesting departmental action against him. A departmental case was filed on April 15 this year.
He was served with a show-cause notice seeking an explanation of the allegations but neither submitted a written response nor requested additional time.
An inquiry officer was appointed on June 22 to examine the allegations. The inquiry report, submitted on August 6, found the charge of abandonment of service established under Rule 3(c) of the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018.
Harun was served with a second show-cause notice on August 20 but did not respond.
The government subsequently sought the opinion of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) on imposing the major penalty of dismissal from service.
In its opinion issued on October 1, the commission recommended his dismissal.
After reviewing the departmental case documents, inquiry report and BPSC opinion, the authorities found the allegations proven and decided to dismiss him from service, the notification stated.
The president approved the decision on October 25.
The order was issued by Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Manzur Morshed Chowdhury on behalf of the president.