A clandestine meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on December 4 has earned a Ministry of Public Administration (MOPA) joint secretary, already on special duty, forced retirement.
A MOPA order issued yesterday read: “AKM Jahangir was sent to forced retirement in the ‘public interest’ and his tenure of service was 25 years. He will get due benefits.” The order was effective immediately.
Several present and former government officials are reported to have attended the covert meeting with Khaleda at the BNP office in the Gulshan area of the capital on December 4. Her party has denied that such a meeting ever took place.
Video footage shows two officials leaving the party office while the meeting was still under way.
Public Administration Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “The government has the right to discharge any officer if it sees fit to do so.”
AKM Jahangir worked in the Appointment, Posting and Deputation Wing during the BNP–Jamaat alliance government between 2001 and 2006.
Senior Assistant Secretary Ehsanul Haque, Ministry of Science and Technology Administrative Officer Ibrahim Miazee, Taufiqul Islam of the same ministry, Nurul Islam of the Jute and Textile Ministry, Abdul Mannan and AKM Humayun Kabir of the Local Government Ministry, Sarkar Toha of the Environment and Forest Ministry, Badiul Kabir of the Public Administration Ministry, Shahidul Haque of the Information Ministry and Mujahidul Islam Selim of the Cabinet Division also attended the meeting, sources said. Many of the attendees were officers on special duty, according to sources.
A MOPA official, on condition of anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Those who attended the meeting will be issued show cause notices, and after their replies are received, they will be fined.”
“The government is seeking to determine the entire roster of civil servants who attended the meeting with Khaleda Zia,” he added.
But on Tuesday, State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadique claimed that the attendees of the secret meeting had already been identified “with the help of intelligence agencies.”
At a press conference last Friday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned that the government would take action against the public servants who reportedly met with Khaleda.