The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must seek the permission of the authorities concerned before arresting any public servant prior to a court framing charges under the terms of a new law passed in parliament on Wednesday.
The Sarkari Chakori Ain Bill 2018 was moved in the house by State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadique and was passed by voice vote, reports UNB.
The new legislation will control the service of public servants and all the issues of their jobs will come under the umbrella of this law.
Under a provision of the new law, a civil servant will be suspended initially and will ultimately lose his or her job if they are handed a punishment more severe than one year in jail for their offences.
When the punishment is less than a year in jail, however, the authorities will take departmental actions against them.
Under the existing system, there is no specific law governing the service of public servants.
The existing age limit for the retirement of public servants remains unchanged at 60 for freedom fighters and 59 for everyone else.
However, the government can send a public servant on forced retirement on completion of 25 years in service without showing any reason in the public interest, whereas any public servant can go on voluntary retirement on completion of 25 years in service.
Merit and open competition will be the main criteria for the recruitment of public servants while promotion will be given based on merit, efficiency, seniority and performance.
Also under the new law, public servants accepting foreign citizenship will lose their job, although there is no specific provision against dual citizenship.
A public servant will get financial support from the government to face a criminal case if it is filed for any cause while performing professional duties.
But if he or she is tried in any criminal case for personal crimes and jailed for more than one year, he or she will lose the job.
Under the new law, the government can realise compensation from a public servant if any complaint lodged against him or her by a citizen is proved to be true and if any citizen is deprived of any service by him or her.
