Inter-cadre conflict: Govt officials face punitive action over adverse remarks

The government officials, who made adverse remarks against each other on Facebook centering the inter-cadre conflict following the recommendations of the public administration reform commission, have been facing punitive actions.

Eight officials of BCS administration, education, health, fisheries and livestock cadres have been suspended.

Apart from this, the public administration ministry has sent letters to the health and livestock ministries to take action against two officials as per the service rules.

Of the officials suspended for their adverse remarks on social media so far, five from education cadre, one each from administration, livestock and fisheries cadre.

The health and education cadres, however, said the number is more. They claimed that the public administration ministry has issued letters to take actions against 18 officials of different cadres. However, this correspondent could not independently verify the claim.

The interim government constituted the public administration reform commission, led by Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, on 4 October with the view to build an efficient and neutral public administration.

The commission exchanged views with the newspersons at the secretariat on 17 December.

On that day, reform commission chairman Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury said they 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. Currently, administration cadre officials have a 75 per cent quota for a promotion to the deputy secretary post.

Following this, the administration cadre officials and officials of other 25 cadres started demonstrations against the proposals, which were not yet formally presented to the authorities.

None of the two sides are ready to agree to the proposals of the reform commission. The officials of the 26-cadre already organised different programmes including gathering, “pen down”, work abstention and some others.

In this context, the public administration ministry reminded the officials concerned about the code of conduct for government employees in a notification published on Tuesday. The ministry also said if anyone violates the regulations, he will be brought to book.

Amid this, Inter Cadre Discrimination Prevention Council, formed of officials from 25 cadres, organised a discussion. The platform, though, initially announced to hold a rally.

Speaking at a programme on 29 December last year, information adviser Nahid Islam said, “Surely action will be taken against those who have violated the job regulation. My call to the bureaucrats is, now is the time to serve the people, extend help for our proper democratic transition. So many people did not sacrifice their lives for protecting their group interest or for this ‘game of demonstration’.”

Mohammad Jahangir Alam, livestock officer of Atwari upazila in Panchagarh was suspended on 1 January on charges of misconduct.

A notification of the fisheries and livestock ministry said the authorities think it is necessary and rational to suspend Mohammad Jahangir Alam as per the Government Employees Discipline and Appeal Rules. He will receive food and clothing allowance during the period.

Jahangir Alam told Prothom Alo he is vocal about the discrimination among cadres for a long time and has been leading to find a solution to this. He alleged that he was suspended so that other people would stop talking about the issue.

Upazila fisheries officer (attached to Dhaka) Zahidul Islam was also suspended on that day. Apart from them, BCS admin cadre official Mohammad Sadikur Rahman has been suspended. The public administration ministry issued his suspension notification on 30 December 2024.

He was the regional executive officer at Gazipur City Corporation. He was removed from the post on 29 December and made OSD (officer on special duty) at the public administration ministry. Later, he was suspended.

The public administration ministry sent letters to the education ministry on 29 December last year to take actions against five BCS education cadre officials. They were suspended on Thursday. Four of them are lecturers at government colleges and another one is an assistant professor.

The public administration ministry sent letters to the ministry concerned for taking actions against upazila livestock officer (attached to Dhaka) Shahadat Hossain and BCS (health) cadre official Emdadul Haque for their adverse remarks on social media. Their remarks were attached with the letters.

A source from the public administration ministry informed Prothom Alo that a deputy commissioner will be withdrawn for making adverse comments against the reform commission proposals.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, coordinator of Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, the platform of government officials belonging to 25 Bangladesh Civil Service cadres, said the July uprising was against discrimination and to get back freedom of speech. If anyone commits a serious unjust act, he must face punishment but injustice is being served through en masse suspension.

He further said a number of admin cadre officials made derisive remarks about the 25 cadres but no action is being taken against them. Instead, action is being taken against the officials of other cadres.

The government has taken a stern stance about following the Government Employees Discipline and Appeal Rules, public administration ministry’s appointment promotion and deputation wing additional secretary Obaidur Rahman said.

He told Prothom Alo on Thursday that following rules in government jobs is necessary. It has been seen that many officials have been making adverse remarks on inter-cadre on social media. They have been violating the service rules.

He insisted that action is being taken against those who have been making adverse comments. They are being suspended. This will continue.