The Sarkari Chakori Ain Bill 2018 (Government Job Bill 2018) has been placed in parliament, with a provision for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) taking permission from the authorities concerned before arresting any public servant.
State Minister for Public Administration, Ismat Ara Sadique, placed the bill in the House yesterday, reports UNB.
The bill has been sent to the respective parliamentary standing committees for further examination, while the committee has been asked to submit the report within three days.
According to the bill, no public servant can be arrested until a charge has been lodged against that person in court.
A government employee can be arrested before a charge has been framed, only after taking prior permission from the authorities concerned.
The provision of the new law states that, if sentenced with capital punishment, or punishment of more than one year in jail, civil servants will first be suspended, and finally released from their jobs.
However, the authorities will take departmental actions against them in case of punishment of below a one year jail term.
There are no specific laws to control the service of public servants under the current system.
The proposed law will control the service of public servants, and all issues surrounding their jobs will come under the umbrella of this law.
The retirement age of public servants and freedom fighters remains unchanged at 59 and 60, respectively.
However, the government can send a public servant on forced retirement on completion of his or her 25 years of service, without showing any reason in the public interest.
Meanwhile, any public servant can go on voluntary retirement on completion of 25 years in service.
The main criteria for the recruitment of public servants will be merit and open competition, while promotions will be given based on merit, efficiency, seniority, and performance.
The bill also states that any public servant taking a foreign citizenship will lose his or her job. However, it does not mention anything in case of a dual citizenship.
If a criminal case is filed against a public servant while performing professional duties, he or she will get financial support from the government to face the case.
However, if the public servant is tried in any criminal case for personal crimes, and jailed for more than a year, the individual will lose the job.
Under the proposed law, if the complaint lodged against the public servant is proved to be true, or if any citizen is deprived of any service from that servant, the government can realize compensation from that public servant.
