In-service and former administrative-cadre officials Wednesday demanded resignation of chairman of the Administrative Reform Commission Abdul Muid Chowdhury within 48 hours, in a ruckus over promotion quotas.
Already on agitations, they also warned of tougher movement if the commission made any unwanted recommendation to the government.
They expressed their grievances over a proposed 50-percent quota in elevation to the rank of deputy secretary.
The incumbent-and ex-cadres made the demands at a joint meeting of Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) and BCS (Administration) Welfare Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd at the BIAM Foundation Auditorium at Eskaton in the capital.
The meeting was held to protest the Public Administration Reform Commission's recent recommendation for appointment of 50 per cent of deputy secretaries from the administration cadre and another 50 per cent from the other cadres in government service.
They think the resignation of the chairman of the reform commission "alone will not suffice rather the commission itself must be restructured with the involvement of all stakeholders".
BCS (Admin) Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd general-secretary Mashiur Rahman called all the members of the Public Administration Reform Commission 'controversial' and demanded their resignation en masse.
"We want removal of Abdul Muid Chowdhury within the next 48 hours. If the government doesn't remove him, then we know how to remove," said president of the BCS (Administration) Welfare Multipurpose Cooperative Society ABM Abdus Sattar.
He proposed to hold a grand rally on January 4 next and demanded the formation of Bangladesh Administrative Service (by coordinating assistant commissioner to secretary posts).
Earlier, Sohel Rana, Senior Assistant Secretary of Power Division, said, "The 50-percent quota for the promotion to Deputy Secretary is discriminatory, illogical, and conspiratorial. We must also examine whether any effort is being made to weaken the state."
On December 17, during an exchange with journalists, Abdul Muid Chowdhury announced that they would recommend a 50-percent quota for administrative-cadre officials and the remaining 50 per cent from other cadres for promotion to Deputy Secretary.
According to the current regulations, 75 per cent of deputy-secretary positions are allocated to administrative cadre while 25 percent reserved for officials from other cadres. They have declared that if their demands were not met, they would hold a rally in Dhaka on January 4, to be followed by further action plans.
Officials from 25 cadres of the Bangladesh Civil Services (BCS), other than the administrative cadre, observed a one-hour pen-down strike across the country on Tuesday. They are scheduled to hold a human- chain demonstration today (Thursday).
They have also declared that if their demands were not met, they would hold a rally in the capital on January 4.
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