Govt sends 32 joint secretaries, including DCs from 2018 'night vote', into forced retirement

The government has sent 32 joint secretaries into forced retirement. They had served in important positions, including as deputy commissioners (DCs), during the tenure of the ousted Awami League government.

Nearly all of them served as DCs and returning officers during the controversial 2018 general election.

Separate notifications regarding the retirements were issued yesterday, Monday, by the Ministry of Public Administration.

In recent weeks, the government also sent into forced retirement more than 50 police officers at different levels in three phases. They, too, had held key positions under the ousted Awami League government.

The officials sent into compulsory retirement are Majedur Rahman Khan, Abul Fazal Mir, Aslam Hossain, Moinul Islam, Mohammad Daudul Islam, Md Shahriar, Kazi Abu Taher, AZM Nurul Haque, Md Mizanur Rahman, Mohammad Elias Hossain, Anjan Chandra Pal, AKM Mamunur Rashid, Kamal Hossain, Mohammad Abdul Ahad, Md Jasim Uddin, Saroj Kumar Nath, Md Shahidul Islam, Md Wahiduzzaman, SM Aziur Rahman, Mohammad Masud Alam Siddiq, Matiul Islam Chowdhury, Nazia Shirin, Sultana Parvin, Anar Kali Mahbub, Mohammad Helal Hossain, Syeda Farhana Kainain, Sarwar Murshed Chowdhury, Mahmudul Kabir Murad, Ali Akbar, SM Abdul Kader, SM Ferdous and Gopal Chandra Das.

The separate notifications state that these officials have been forced retired. According to the notifications, they have completed 25 years of service and, as the government considers it necessary in the public interest to retire them from public service, they have been retired under the relevant provisions of the Government Service Act. They will be entitled to retirement benefits in accordance with the law.

Under Bangladesh's public service rules, the government may force retire any civil servant after the completion of 25 years of service.

In 2014, the Awami League held a one-sided election after it was boycotted by the BNP and its 18-party alliance. Although all major parties, including the BNP, participated in the 11th parliamentary election of 2018, allegations emerged that ballot boxes had been stuffed the night before polling day. Opposition parties subsequently dubbed it as the "night vote."