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The interim government has initiated preparations for long-awaited promotions of officials to the positions of deputy secretary and additional secretary, with the process now in its final stages.According to sources in the Ministry of Public Administration, decisions regarding promotions from senior assistant secretary to deputy secretary and from joint secretary to additional secretary are expected by the last week of July. After years of delay, these promotions are anticipated to be implemented soon. The Superior Selection Board (SSB), chaired by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid, recently reviewed the career records, discipline, integrity, ethical conduct, and family backgrounds of eligible officers. The SSB has already held several meetings, with one or two more expected before the final list is published. Sources indicate that the SSB has begun evaluating the career details of approximately 700 eligible officers. After multiple rounds of scrutiny, the final list is expected to be finalized soon. If all goes as planned, promotions to deputy secretary may be announced this month, with additional secretary promotions likely in the following month. This development has brought renewed momentum to the long-stalled promotion process. A senior official from the Ministry of Public Administration told UNB that several SSB meetings have already taken place, with the most recent held on July 8. If everything proceeds smoothly, promotions to deputy secretary are expected this month, followed by additional secretary promotions next month. The SSB’s deliberations are nearing completion, awaiting only final approval. Officers from the 30th BCS batch, who joined government service on June 3, 2012, became eligible for promotion to deputy secretary on June 3, 2022. However, various factors delayed the process. On January 18, 2024, the Ministry of Public Administration called for promotion-related information. The fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August and the formation of an interim government led by Professor Yunus further delayed the process due to significant administrative changes. A total of 319 officers from the 30th BCS batch, including 277 from the administration cadre, along with 223 officers from other cadres who applied through the DS pool, have had their records reviewed. Based on this analysis, 250 to 280 officers are initially being considered for promotion to deputy secretary. Meanwhile, officers from the 20th BCS batch are being considered for promotion to additional secretary. Although they became eligible for joint secretary in 2019 and were promoted in 2021, they qualified for additional secretary in 2023. These promotions are now set to be implemented. Over 300 officers, including 244 from the administration cadre, are under consideration for additional secretary. However, 43 officers from the 20th batch who served as deputy commissioners during the Sheikh Hasina government have reportedly been excluded from the list. According to the Ministry of Public Administration, there are currently 370 additional secretaries against 212 approved posts and 1,034 joint secretaries against 502 posts. For deputy secretaries, 1,420 posts are approved (including supernumerary posts), with 1,402 officers currently serving. This surplus of officers means promoted officials may need to continue working in their existing roles due to the lack of vacant posts. Under promotion regulations, officers with five years of service as senior assistant secretaries and at least ten years of total service are eligible for deputy secretary. The 30th BCS batch met these criteria on June 3, 2022, yet nearly three years later, their promotions are still pending.
