45th BCS: Re-verification begins for candidates left out of gazette, decision expected this month

Of the 1,807 candidates finally recommended for appointment by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in the 45th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, 1,702 were included in the gazette notification.

As a result, a total of 105 candidates were excluded from the final appointment gazette despite successfully clearing all steps of the selection process. The exclusion of so many candidates after the recommendations sparked widespread debate.

The Ministry of Public Administration has recently clarified the exact figures and reasons for the exclusion of the 105 candidates. Of them, 49 failed to submit the required documents and legal papers on time.

The remaining 56 were denied appointments for other administrative reasons, including police verification, despite having all the necessary documents in order. The government is now reviewing the cases of these candidates who were denied appointments.

The candidates who were excluded took to the streets in protest after being left out of the gazette despite having no criminal records. They staged a hunger strike and sit-in right in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University.

During the hunger strike, police took four candidates in for questioning on suspicion that they were leaders or activists of a banned organisation. However, after an initial investigation found no involvement in any offence, police released them the following day.

The protesters said their movement was entirely non-political and was a struggle to secure their rights on the basis of merit. Although the release of the candidates detained from the Raju Sculpture brought some relief, they have continued to demand the publication of a supplementary gazette.

The government has offered significant relief amid the uncertainty surrounding those excluded from the gazette. A re-verification process in the area of candidates’ permanent addresses has begun to ensure that none of them faces injustice or discrimination.

Speaking to Prothom Alo about the matter, state minister for Public Administration Abdul Bari said, “Of the 105 candidates excluded, 49 failed to submit the required documents. The government is taking the cases of those whose names were not included very seriously. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has given clear instructions that no candidate should be denied appointment unjustly.”

The state minister confirmed, “The re-verification process for those excluded from the gazette, in the area of their permanent addresses, is currently going on in full swing. We hope to complete the verification by the second week of this month. Those who were taken away from the Raju Sculpture have also been released. No candidate will be unfairly denied an opportunity within the legal framework.”

The circular for the 45th BCS examination was published on 30 November 2022. A total of 346,000 candidates applied. The preliminary examination was held on 19 May 2023, and the results were published on 6 June 2023. A total of 12,789 candidates passed.

The written examination was held in January 2024, and the viva examination began in July 2025. After completing the lengthy selection process, the PSC recommended 1,807 candidates for cadre positions on 27 November 2025.

Nearly 11 months after the final recommendations, the Ministry of Public Administration published the gazette notification appointing 1,702 candidates on 14 October 2026. The entire recruitment process for the 45th BCS was completed after nearly four years, spanning the political tenures of three different governments.