Information secretary speaks about his 'forced' retirement

Md Mokbul Hossain
File Photo

The government has not yet clarified why the secretary of information and broadcasting Md Mokbul Hossain has been sent on ‘forced’ retirement. Speculations abound on why a top level officer of the administration has been shown the door just about a year before the end of his service tenure.

Many news reports mention his political affiliation and financial reasons as the cause of his departure. Some others mentioned his distance with someone in the information ministry. But secretary Mokbul himself has dismissed all these allegations.

Identifying himself as a former vice-president of a university hall unit, Mokbul said on Monday to journalists, “As long as I will live, I will live with the spirit of the liberation war.”

The retirement Mokbul was announced on Sunday through a sudden notification of the public administration ministry. When this news reached ministry of information Mokbul was at a meeting of the ministry. An official of the information secretary's office went to that meeting and called him to his room to give him the news.

According to the notification of the public administration ministry, Mokbul Hossain was sent on retirement underSection 45 of the Public Service Act, in public interests. The section states that after the completion of 25 years of service of a government employee, the government can retire him from service without assigning any reason if it deems necessary in public interest. However, in cases where the president is the appointing authority, the approval of the president is required.

The tenure of Mokbul was up to 25 October. Journalists at the secretariat have been probing into why he was sent to retirement at this stage. But the concerned government officials are tight lipped regarding the issue. The journalists asked information and broadcast minister Hasan Mahmud about the issue but he did not state anything clearly. The information minister said, he does not know the reason behind sending the secretary on retirement. The public administration ministry can say what was behind this.

Mokbul came to office in the secretariat at noon on Monday. Journalists rushed to hear his statement. While talking to them, he burst out into tears. He said, the notice said to comply with the directive immediately and it comes into effect from Sunday. He had come to pick some of his personal papers.

In response to the questions of the journalists, Mokbul said that this (retirement) is the decision of the government. The government can do this to anyone. It is the government's right and it has happened before. The government can retire anyone after completing 25 years of service. A government employee must comply with this. He said, "I have willingly accepted the government's order."

About the speculations, Mokbul said, “As long as I worked here, I worked with honesty. I do not know whether I had committed wrongdoing or for what reason I was sent to retirement. But government can do it within the law."

Denying his involvement in antigovernment activities Mokbul said, “You journalists may investigate whether the information secretary had any involvement with the antigovernment activities. If you find something you may publish that. I have no problem. “

Mokbul also said, he was the BCL vice-president of Fazlul Haque Hall unit of Bangladesh Agricultural University. Since he was nine, he has been involved with the politics of Bangladesh Chhatra League. Moreover, there are six freedom fighters at his home. His brother was an organiser of the liberation war. He will remain with the spirit of liberation war for the rest of his life.

Referring to the news published in a newspaper, Mokbul said, "It was written that I used to visit a private office opposite to the BNP office in Paltan. I don't know where the office is or whether I have visited any office."

In response to another question, the secretary said that he has never seen BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman face to face and has no desire to see him.

Replying to another question Mokbul said, why should there be a distance with the minister? They all are working together. He has no complaint. One should not believe the hearsay.

In the notification issued under the signature of KM Ali Azam, the senior secretary of the ministry of public administration, Mokbul was informed about his retirement.

When asked about this, senior secretary KM Ali Azam told the Prothom Alo that there is provision to voluntarily retire after completing 25 years of service. Again, the government can retire anyone if it wants. Mokbul Hossain has been retired according to the rules. It is not possible for him to say anything more than that.

Mokbul Hossain joined as the secretary of information and broadcast ministry on 31 May 2021. Before joining here he worked as the registrar of the directorate of joint capital companies and firms. Mokbul joined Bangladesh civil service on 1991 as an officer of BCS (administration) cadre 10th batch. His village home is at Kumarkhali of Kushtia.