Admin cadres demand removal of reform commission chief by 48 hrs

Administration cadre officials have demanded the removal or resignation of Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, chief of the public administration reform commission within 48 hours.

They also warned of stricter actions in case of any ‘unwarranted’ recommendation from the commission.

The public administration reform commission is yet to submit their recommendations. But in a recent view exchange meeting with the journalists, the commission said it would recommend a 50 per cent quota for the administration cadre and 50 per cent quota for other cadres in promotion to the post of deputy secretary.

The former and serving administration cadre officials have been protesting since then. They rejected the recommendation proposal terming it as discriminatory, irrational and conspiratorial.

As part of their protest the former and current admin cadre officials held a joint protest rally at the BIAM Foundation auditorium in the capital today, Wednesday. The speakers at the rally strongly protested the decision to recommend reducing the quota of the administration cadre from 75 per cent to 50 per cent for the post of deputy secretary.

Bangladesh Administrative Service Association and BCS (Admin) Kalyan Bahumukhi Samity Limited jointly organised the event. Administration cadre officials say such a proposal on an issue that has already been settled in the High Court is unexpected.

Apart from the administration cadre, officials from other cadres also have the opportunity to get promoted as the deputy secretary. There is also a High Court rule on this matter. As per the rule, 75 per cent of the newly promoted deputy secretaries come from the administration cadre. The total number of deputy secretaries in service at the moment is around 1,600.

However, the public administration reform commission is going to recommend reducing the quota for the administration cadre to 50 per cent. At the same time, the commission will propose to keep education and health separated from the cadre-based system like the Judicial Service Commission.

There has always been psychological conflict among the officials of different cadres of the government over facilities and perks. This inter-cadre conflict has now become visible since the reform commission laid out some recommendations.

The admin cadre officials are protesting as the implementation of the proposal from the commission would see a decline in the quota reserved for them in terms of promotion. Now, they demand for establishing an administrative service in Bangladesh which means all the posts of the administration should be reserved for the admin cadre. The admin cadre officials staged a large gathering at the secretariat to press home their demands.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, the platform of government officials belonging to 25 Bangladesh Civil Service cadres, have started a movement observing an hour-long “pen down” from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on Tuesday with various demands including revoking the quota system for the post of deputy secretary, appointment of officials from respective cadres to policymaking level of the ministry concerned and ensuring equal rights for officials from all cadres.

They also declared to hold a human chain tomorrow, Thursday. The officials under the education and health cadres have concerned taken to the street separately. They pressed their demands in a separate press conference.

In such a situation, the admin cadre officials held a massive showdown today including both former and serving officials. From the most junior officials to officials from the 1973 batch, all took part in today’s event. Apart from them, deputy commissioners from districts outside Dhaka also joined the event virtually and the district president of the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association. Besides, Dhaka district deputy commissioner was present at the event in person.

Addressing the rally BCS (Admin) Kalyan Bahumukhi Samity Limited president ABM Abdus Sattar said, “We want the removal of Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury within the next 48 hours. If the government doesn’t do it then, we know how to make it happen.”

He also proposed to hold a grand rally on 4 January. He also demanded for establishing Bangladesh Administrative Service, including admin cadre officials from the lowest rank to the highest rank.

Power Division senior assistant secretary Sohel Rana highlighted the history of the Bangladesh Civil Service and raised several factors that support the fact that the deputy secretary post should be reserved only for the admin cadre officials.

Referring to the new proposal, he said, “We think it is a discriminatory, irrational and conspiratorial initiative.”

The interim government assumed office on 8 August following the ouster of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina on 5 August. After taking over, the government formed several reform commissions in different sectors in order to start a new journey as a nation. Former advisor of the caretaker government and former secretary Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury was made the chief of the public administration reform commission. The commission is supposed to submit a report after finalising their recommendation by the end of this month.

Bangladesh Administrative Service Association president Md Anwar Ullah threatened stricter programmes in the future and declared six points.

He said, “First, we will remain united. Second, we won’t let anyone impose any quota on the admin cadre. Third, we will call from protest programmes if the commission makes any unwarranted recommendation. Fourth, we will resist any attempt to appoint somebody from outside in the administration cadre blindly. Fifth, the Ministry of Public Administration should immediately take the right decision by creating a respectable position for all types of officials including deprived officials in terms of promotion and posting. Sixth, the administration will remain alert across the country to avert any conspiracy to make the country unstable.”

The officials present at the rally agreed to the six points that he declared.

Bangladesh Administrative Service Association secretary general Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman conducted the programme.

Among the others who addressed the event are -  Mahmud Hossain Alamgir, 1973 batch, SM Zahirul Islam, 1979 batch; Helaluzzaman, 1981 batch; MA Khalek, 1984 batch; senior secretary of the Ministry of Land ASM Saleh Ahmed; Abu Yusuf, 1985 batch; Mohammad Mashiur Rahman, 1986 batch; Md. Zakir Hossain Kamal, Shamim Al Mamun, Dhaka deputy commissioner (DC) Tanvir Ahmed, deputy secretary Nurul Karim Bhuiyan, private secretary to the expatriate welfare and overseas employment adviser Md Sarwar Alam, private secretary to the foreign affairs adviser Md. Samiul Masud, Khandaker Mushfiq Rahman from the 28th batch, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Md Badruddoja, president of the Dhaka Journalists Union Shahidul Islam, deputy editor of Jugantor BM Jahangir and chairman of Debate for Democracy Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury.