Govt job recruitment marred by instability: Jobseekers’ movements over 4 months

Getting a government job in Bangladesh is almost like winning a war. And protests by jobseekers have now become an everyday sight. From submitting memorandums to sit-ins, human chains, hunger strikes, and even blocking roads and railways – the forms of protest have been diverse.

From August to November this year, various movements took place over the recruitment in government jobs. Some have ended, while many remain ongoing or temporarily suspended.

According to the Non-Cadre Recruitment Rules 2023, the 43rd BCS cadre and non-cadre results were published together. Due to recruitment complications and fewer recommendations, non-cadre candidates have been protesting for a long time.

In August–September, they held a hunger strike for about 10 days under the banner of ‘BCS Job-Seeking Candidates.’ Before that, they formed human chains and sit-ins. As the long movement brought no solution, the candidates have now decided to seek legal remedy.

Those recommended for cadre posts in the 44th BCS are also protesting due to delays in their appointment process. After two rounds of revisions, the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) published the second supplementary result on 11 November.

The recommended candidates say their final result file has not been sent to the Ministry of Public Administration even after 3 years, 11 months, and 25 days.

On Sunday, they held a human chain demanding quick recruitment. The PSC has assured that the file will be sent to the ministry in the last week of November.

Candidates who passed the 47th BCS preliminary exam have staged various programmes, including submitting memorandums, and holding marches, blockades, and hunger strikes, demanding postponement of the written test.

Along with blocking Nilkhet and Shahbagh intersections, railway lines were blocked in Rajshahi and Mymensingh as well. However, the PSC has announced the exam date will not change.

After the announcement, the movement has largely calmed down, and most candidates are now focusing on preparation as the written exam approaches.

The Disabled Graduates Council launched a movement with five demands, including job opportunities for persons with disabilities and institutionalising special recruitment every two years.

They began a sit-in at the Raju sculpture on 19 October. They failed to meet the chief adviser and were attacked by outsiders during a march at Shahbagh on 27 October.

Later, on 12 November, they started a sit-in outside the Department of Social Services; following assurances from the social services adviser, the movement was suspended. However, they have announced that if a formal circular is not issued this month, they will restart the movement in December.

In 2016, as many as 545 people were temporarily appointed to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ (BBS) Development of the Poverty Database project.

According to complaints, they worked in the revenue wing for a long time despite being project staff, and after returning to the project in 2022, the project was shut down in December that year.

Although the High Court ruled the project should run until 2026, salaries stopped from January 2023. A total of 261 people filed a writ seeking reinstatement of their pay and benefits. After a sit-in from 5–14 October, the movement was suspended following assurances from the bureau.

Many candidates who passed the 1st–12th teacher registration exams are now over the age limit of 35, and their certificates have expired. They began protesting claiming they did not receive appointment recommendations despite applying for vacant posts.

The Non-Government Teachers' Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) said special recruitment cannot be done due to court orders and that they have sought directives from the Ministry of Education.

Candidates briefly paused their protests but have restarted them, and on Sunday, they blockaded the NTRCA office. Those who passed the 18th teacher registration exam have also been protesting for a long time, alleging that despite more than 60,000 vacancies, the NTRCA did not recommend them.

They have set 31 December as the deadline for fulfilling their demands.

Candidates recommended under the repeat-cadre category are protesting to resolve the repeat-cadre issue and to increase the number of physicians recruited under the 48th special BCS to more than 3,500.

They claim incomplete recruitment in the 44th–47th BCS cycles has led to duplicate recommendations, creating around 1,500 repeat candidates, which will cause a shortage of doctors.

But on 30 October, the government announced there is no scope to increase posts in the 48th BCS. After the announcement, the movement weakened.

Protests were held demanding that Petrobangla and its subsidiaries promptly issue appointment letters to recommended candidates. Recruitment was delayed even nine months after the final results were published, leading to the movement. In the second week of November, Petrobangla’s subsidiaries began issuing appointment letters gradually.