Bangladesh's interim government on Thursday officially scrapped a directive from ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's administration that required public officials to address her, as well as other senior women officials, as "sir."
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam announced the annulment following a meeting of the advisory council in Dhaka.
"During Sheikh Hasina's nearly 16-year-long autocratic rule, a directive was reportedly issued requiring public officials to address her as 'sir,'" Shafiqul wrote on Facebook.
"This practice extended to other high-ranking women officials, who were and still are being called 'sir,' which is clearly odd," he added.
Shafiqul said the Council of Advisers had officially annulled the directive, also discussing the necessity of changing other elaborate protocol rules previously issued by the Cabinet.
A committee, composed of the advisers for energy and environment, had been formed to review the directives and honorifics and suggest appropriate amendments within one month for consideration by the advisory council.