Most of the 267 candidates excluded from the 43rd BCS recruitment process are expected to rejoin their positions following final scrutiny.
However, those with criminal records or pending legal cases will not be eligible for reinstatement.
Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman, senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, disclosed this information after a meeting with two government security agencies on Thursday.
"The investigation has been completed, and we are working to finalize the process promptly," he said, adding that most candidates without criminal records would regain their positions.
Previously, the Ministry of Public Administration revealed that 227 candidates from the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadre appointments were excluded from the gazette notification based on intelligence agency reports. Additionally, 40 candidates were disqualified for being absent during the medical examination.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) had initially recommended 2,163 candidates for cadre positions on December 26, 2023.
However, on October 15, 2024, the ministry issued a notification appointing only 2,064 candidates—excluding 99 individuals, which sparked significant controversy.
Amid growing criticism, the ministry canceled the October 15 notification and issued a revised version on December 30, 2024.
In this updated notification, an additional 168 candidates were excluded, raising the total number of disqualified candidates to 267.
Of these, 40 who failed to attend the medical examination were deemed ineligible for reconsideration. Consequently, the data of 227 candidates will now be re-evaluated.
Sources at the Ministry of Public Administration confirmed instructions to adopt a favourable approach while reconsidering the data of these 227 individuals.
On Wednesday, several excluded candidates staged a sit-in protest in front of the Secretariat, demanding reinstatement in the cadre notification.
One of the excluded candidates, speaking anonymously, shared his frustration: “After years of hard work, tutoring and consistent studying, I was finally recommended by the PSC. We were thrilled to begin our new jobs, only to find ourselves excluded from the gazette without explanation.”
Another candidate said: “Despite promises of a discrimination-free Bangladesh, we faced discrimination even before starting our jobs. Why were we excluded when we have no lawsuits against us? Our peers are set to join their positions, while we remain in despair. This injustice weighs heavily on us. We demand immediate inclusion in the notification.”
Despite their earlier disappointment, most excluded candidates expressed optimism on Thursday following the ministry’s new decision and eagerly await the updated notification.
