Interim govt repeats past practice: Promotions without posts in administration

There are currently about 1,000 regular posts of deputy secretary in public administration, but 1,596 officials hold this position. Despite the surplus, 268 more officials were promoted to deputy secretary last month.

After promotion, most officials cannot be assigned to higher posts, as vacancies are scarce. As a result, they remain in their previous roles, doing the same work as before, though with increased salary and allowances. After serving three years as a deputy secretary, they also become eligible for interest-free car loans.

In a notification issued on 1 September, the Ministry of Public Administration confirmed that 52 of the newly promoted deputy secretaries were posted in situ—continuing in their previous roles. Overall, for most of the 268 officials promoted on 28 August, there has been no change in duties.

During the Awami League government, ousted in the July mass uprising, such promotions without posts were common. Many believe these moves were intended to appease bureaucrats and secure loyalty in the lead-up to one-sided, rigged elections.

To that end, the government had introduced interest-free loans for cars and housing, alongside frequent promotions. The interim government appears to be following a similar path. While bureaucrats continue to push for promotions, the government is also accommodating these demands.

Meanwhile, the interim administration has yet to implement any major recommendations from the Reform Commission formed to overhaul public administration. However, it has formed a salary commission to review pay scales.

Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, member of the interim government’s Public Administration Committee and energy adviser, told Prothom Alo that promotions are determined by the Superior Selection Board (SSB) and the Ministry of Public Administration.

“The Public Administration Committee mainly examines whether officials meet the required qualifications for promotions and postings,” he said, adding that ahead of the national elections, emphasis is being placed on appointing officials free from political influence.

On 3 October 2022, Prothom Alo published a report titled “No posts, work is the same, but they are still promoted”, highlighting the growing mismatch between posts and manpower. At the time, then–State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain defended the policy.

He argued that retirements steadily reduce manpower at higher levels, particularly among joint secretaries. “The workload of the government, including project implementation, has increased. For this, at least 100 more officials are required at the joint secretary level, since many are on study leave or medical leave,” he said.

Previously, officials promoted to joint secretary often continued their earlier responsibilities without new postings—a practice that continues across different ranks.

According to data from the Ministry of Public Administration, there are currently 6,518 officials in the administration from assistant secretary to secretary. Among them are 84 senior secretaries, secretaries, or equivalent-level officials, and 15 grade-1 officials, positions for which no fixed number of posts exists.

There are 212 regular posts of additional secretary, along with around 125 deputation posts across different departments, bringing the total to about 337 (possibly more). Yet as of 14 September, there were 343 officials holding the additional secretary rank.

Similarly, while there are 502 posts of joint secretary, the actual number of officials stands at 1,027. There are also 1,873 senior assistant secretaries and 1,533 assistant secretaries, though here too no fixed number of regular posts is specified.

The interim government was formed on 8 August last year, following the July mass uprising. Since then, a series of promotions has been granted in public administration and other government services. Claiming “deprivation,” some officials even staged demonstrations.

At that time, 764 officials who had already retired were promoted to positions such as secretary and others. They received financial benefits and prestige, but the administration could not assign them to any responsibilities.

Recently, a review committee recommended “retrospective promotions” for 78 other retired officials from various cadres who had claimed deprivation.

Meanwhile, according to data from the Ministry of Public Administration, between 8 August last year and 4 August this year, 785 officials (excluding those already retired) received regular promotions.

Most recently, on 28 August, 268 officials were promoted to the rank of deputy secretary. The majority belong to the 30^th BCS batch, who had completed 10 years of service in 2022 and had been waiting for promotion. In administration, an official qualifies for promotion to deputy secretary after 10 years of service or five years in the role of senior assistant secretary.

Public administration sources said that following the promotions to deputy secretary, the process for promoting officials to additional secretary position has already begun and may be finalised soon.

For promotions to deputy secretary and higher positions, officials are selected by the Superior Selection Board (SSB), chaired by the cabinet secretary.

After the July uprising, decisions on promotions and postings to senior administrative positions have been made by the Committee on Public Administration Affairs.

Members of this committee include Economic Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam, Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhlesur Rahman.

The committee’s decisions are sent to the chief adviser for approval before finalising promotions and postings.

Officials at the Ministry of Public Administration said those promoted had already met the eligibility criteria. Since new positions cannot be created suddenly, yet promotions must still be granted, “supernumerary posts” (temporary posts created outside the regular structure) were introduced to accommodate the promotions.

On the issue of promotions despite no vacancies, Senior Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman told Prothom Alo that initially, promoted officials are given in-situ postings (retaining their existing positions with higher rank). Gradually, they are reassigned to new roles.

However, insiders said previous governments also did little to create new posts, and the current government has not taken initiative either. Similarly, contract-based appointments continue, as in the past.

Many officials are being kept idle as Officials on Special Duty (OSD) while still drawing salaries. Currently, 10 secretaries are OSDs (administrative), and 12 more hold positions on a contractual basis. The ministry, however, could not provide the total number of OSDs.

In the past year (until 4 August this year), nine officials at secretary or senior secretary rank, one official at grade-1, and 19 additional secretaries were forced into retirement. In addition, 164 officials from deputy secretary to secretary retired upon completing their service tenure.

At present, 26 cadres are recruited through the Public Service Commission (PSC) via the BCS exam. The Public Administration Reform Commission has recommended merging these into 13 services: administrative, judicial, public security, foreign affairs, accounts, audit, revenue, engineering, education, health, agriculture, information, and ICT. The report was submitted to the chief adviser in February.

The commission’s report proposed that “administrative service” positions remain confined to field administration. Under the recommendation, entry-level officials would still be designated assistant commissioners, while the top field-level post would be divisional commissioner (grade-1, equivalent to secretary). Additionally, a single top post titled “Chief Commissioner” was proposed, carrying a special grade equivalent to principal secretary. Similar designations were suggested for other services as well.

The commission also recommended creating a “Superior Executive Service (SES)” comprising posts from deputy secretary to additional secretary in the secretariat. Officials from all cadres would be eligible to compete for entry into the SES through competitive examinations.

It further proposed reducing the current 75 per cent quota for administration cadre in the proposed administrative service to 50 per cent. However, none of these recommendations have been implemented.

Mohammad Ayub Miah, former secretary and member of both the Public Administration Reform Commission and the National Consensus Commission, told Prothom Alo that they had recommended various measures, including merit-based promotions through PSC exams against vacant posts. “But whether those are implemented depends on the government,” he said.

According to him, almost all political parties had agreed in the National Consensus Commission discussions to establish a permanent Public Administration Commission based on their recommendations. If implemented, these recommendations could gradually be realised.

Even beyond promotions without vacancies, there were criticisms of public administration under the previous government which are lack of proper accounting of officials’ wealth, appointments to key posts based on political considerations, allowing officials to use project vehicles instead of returning them to the government transport pool.

Under the current government, wealth statements have been collected but not reviewed. Political parties continue to allege favouritism in appointments. Project vehicles have not been recalled. Promotions continue much as before.

Salahuddin M Aminuzzaman, former professor of public administration at Dhaka University, told Prothom Alo that promotions cannot be granted without vacant posts, but in special cases, there is scope to promote deserving officials.

“The government may be under bureaucratic pressure,” he said, suggesting this could explain why promotions and a new pay structure were announced as a compromise. At the same time, officials deprived under the previous government are now pressing for promotion.

Currently a faculty member at North South University, Aminuzzaman added that this practice creates an impression that promotions can be achieved through pressure. “Ideally, promotions should be merit-based,” he said. “The government could review whether new posts can be created.”