Staff Correspondent

The interim government today sent on retirement 22 former Deputy Commissioners (DCs) who served as district administrative chiefs during past three controversial elections of 2014, 2018 and 2024 under the past Awami League government.

According to separate Public Administration Ministry notifications appeared on its website, 23 former deputy commissioners (DCs) were sent on compulsory retirement under the relevant service law that authorizes the government to send its employees to retirement on completion of 25 years of service.

The notifications said one of these administrative cadre officers one was serving as a senior secretary, two secretaries, 18 additional secretaries, one joint secretary and a deputy secretary.

Senior Secretary of the ministry M Mokhles Ur Rahman, meanwhile, in a press briefing said these former deputy commissioners were sent on retirement as they conducted the three controversial elections in their election-time capacity as returning officers.

He said the 43 other former DCs, who as well served as returning officers during these questionable elections, were made officers on special duty (OSD) and attached with the public administration ministry.

The top bureaucrat of the public administration ministry said none of these officers took any stance against the malpractice during the polls under their oversight.

Rahman said the then government staged these three controversial elections with the assistance of these deputy commissioners as returning officers.

“We are exposed to this predicament today because the government (Awami League) was in power for three consecutive terms,” he commented.

Asked for comments about the implication of the decision ahead of the next election, Rahman said “we want to give the DCs a message – when you serve as returning officers, you must serve with courage abiding by the law and remaining above fear or fright”.

Responding a question if the government planned punitive actions for more senior officers like secretaries or additional secretaries as cohorts of the past government, he said a process was underway to review allegations of corruption, overdoing and violation of laws against some officers.

“They too will face punitive actions under the service rule,” the senior secretary said.

He said that a committee related to public administration was recently formed comprising four advisers, the cabinet secretary and senior secretary of the public administration.

“Some major decisions were taken by this committee,” he said adding that the decision of sending some officers to retirement was one of the decisions

Replying to a question about compulsory retirement officers for which election year? He said, “Let me say 2014, 2018 and 2024. Since the 2014 elections were held long time ago, there are only four here, I remember this.”