The government is in two minds about whether to promote the administrative cadres of the three largest batches of Bangladesh Civil Services (BCS), despite these officers having qualified for promotion three or four years ago.
A good number of deputy secretaries (DS) are awaiting their long overdue promotion to the post of joint secretary (JS) and many joint secretaries to the level of additional secretary.
The government could not elevate them to the posts they deserve as there are no current vacancies.
Officers deserving promotion said they would neither enjoy financial benefits nor less workload after promotion due to shortage of manpower.
Most of the joint secretaries and additional secretaries are working in the same offices they were working in before their promotion. But still the deputy and joint secretaries want promotions as they deserve it according to the service rule.
Abdus Sobhan Sikdar, the senior secretary of the public administration ministry, said last week there is no scope for promoting all the officers as top posts in the civil service are limited. That is why the government is undecided about it.
The government appointed 1650 officers from 1982 (special), 1984 and 1985 batches. Of them, 550 officers joined the civil service in 1982 (Special), 650 in 1984 and 450 in 1985.
“That was unnecessary for the administration,” he noted.
“If they get promotions they will have to remain in situ (name-only promotion where the official responsibility will be the same as it was). As they are qualified and experienced the government is thinking about their promotion soon,” said Abdus Sobhan Sikdar.
The ministry has already prepared a list to this end, he added.
The public administration ministry has prepared two different lists of about 50 joint secretaries and 150 deputy secretaries to promote them to the posts of additional secretary and joint secretary respectively.
The lists have been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for approval. But it has yet to get the nod from the prime minister.
Earlier, the public administration ministry promoted some officers to deputy secretary in March of this year.
It has granted promotions three times during the tenure of the incumbent government.
A total of 163 joint secretaries have been promoted to additional secretary, 425 deputy secretaries to joint secretary and 1,215 senior assistant secretaries to deputy secretary.
According to the public administration officials, at least 996 officers from four batches of admin cadres are now waiting to get a promotion to the post of additional secretary and joint secretary.
The government is in a dilemma over the promotion as in some cases the number of officers is more than the organogram planned.
