150 former tri-service officers, including Azmi, granted retrospective promotion, normal retirement
The government has decided to grant normal retirement or retrospective promotion to 150 retired, removed, exempted, and dismissed officers of the Bangladesh Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Among them are Major General (retd) Syed Fatemi Ahmed Rumi, former Director General of the Special Security Force (SSF); Lieutenant General (retd) Aminul Karim, former Military Secretary to the late President Iajuddin Ahmed; and Brigadier General (retd) Abdullahil Aman Azmi, son of the former Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Ghulam Azam.
This information was disclosed in a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Defence last Wednesday. Signed by Defence Secretary Md. Ashraf Uddin, the notification directed that the order be implemented with immediate effect.
According to the notification, the government reached this decision after reviewing applications from officers who faced deprivation, injustice, and political vendettas during their service between 2009 and 4 August 2024.
It further said that the officers receiving normal retirement, compulsory retirement, or retrospective promotion will also receive back pay, allowances, and other financial benefits. Among the 150 beneficiaries, 115 are from the Army, 21 from the Navy, and 14 from the Air Force.
The notification also noted that the compulsory or premature retirements of most of these officers have been rescinded, and they have been granted normal retirement by deeming their service valid until they reached the age limit. Concurrently, several officers have been given retrospective promotions to the ranks of Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, and Colonel. As a result, they will receive back pay and allowances for the duration of their service in those respective ranks, alongside other financial benefits in accordance with the rules. Special financial and administrative benefits have also been extended to a few officers.
Special financial incentives are being provided, amounting to Tk 3 million for some, Tk 5 million for others, and up to Tk 10 million for certain individuals.
Additionally, plots of land or flats are being allocated to some under government or service management, in line with existing policies. Furthermore, opportunities for postings in government or autonomous institutions have been made available, subject to age and qualifications.
The gazette notification was issued following the recommendations of a high-level committee formed on 3 May this year by the Ministry of Defence, alongside an evaluation of feedback from the headquarters of the three services.
It contains detailed records of each officer’s previous and revised retirement status, date of retirement, promotions, and entitled benefits.
Among the beneficiaries, former SSF Director General Syed Fatemi Ahmed Rumi had been sent into compulsory retirement on 12 March 2009. Under the new decision, his retirement has been amended to reflect normal retirement on 25 August 2013. Consequently, he will receive back pay, allowances, and other financial benefits in the rank of Major General for the period spanning 2009 to 2013.
Brigadier General (retd) Abdullahil Aman Azmi is also included in the list. He had been sent into compulsory retirement on 24 June 2009.
According to the notification, he has been granted a retrospective promotion to Major General on 26 December 2011, and a further retrospective promotion to Lieutenant General on 26 December 2014, prior to his retirement. He will receive back pay and allowances for both the ranks of Brigadier General and Major General, other financial benefits according to the rules, a special financial incentive of Tk 10 million, and the opportunity for a posting in a government or autonomous institution, subject to age and qualifications.
Lieutenant General (retd) Aminul Karim, former Military Secretary to late President Iajuddin Ahmed, was also sent into compulsory retirement on 12 March 2009.
Under the new decision, his retirement has been revised to show normal retirement on 30 June 2012. As a result, he will receive back pay, allowances, and other financial benefits in the rank of Lieutenant General from 2009 to 2012.