The government promoted 345 deputy secretaries to the post of joint secretary on Thursday, though there are no vacancies for joint secretary level officers in the civil administration.
Of them, promotion of 326 officers were effective immediately. They were made officers on special duty (OSD) and asked to join the public administration ministry, a ministry order said on Thursday.
The promotion of the other 19 officers would be effective from the day they join service after completion of their lien posting or educational leave.
Public Administration Joint Secretary Muhibul Haq said the government has decided to promote those officials who deserve to get a promotion as joint secretary. “The government tried to promote all deserving officials, but it is true that some did not get promotions due to their poor performance,” he said.
He said deputy secretaries of 1984, 1985 and 1986 batches of BCS cadres were specially considered for the promotion. Officers of 1982 and 1982 special batches who did not get promotions in due time and some other cadre officers also got the promotion.
The public administration ministry last week sent a summary to the prime minister’s office containing names of the officials to be promoted. The premier on Thursday approved the summary and the promotion order was issued immediately.
According to the ministry, before this promotion there were 625 joint secretaries.
This was the second round of promotions in the final year of the Awami League-led government. In the first phase, 204 senior assistant secretaries were promoted to the rank of deputy secretary on March 14 this year.
The civil administration saw several promotion sprees since the AL-led government assumed office in January 2009. The first came in September 2009 when 60 joint secretaries, 163 deputy secretaries and 271 senior assistant secretaries were promoted.
In another large scale promotion on February 8, 2012, 649 officers were promoted to the ranks of additional secretary, joint secretary and deputy secretary beyond the approved posts in the formal structure of the administration.