24 senior bureaucrats sent on forced retirement

The government has sent two secretaries, one additional secretary and 21 deputy commissioners (DCs) on compulsory retirement due to their roles during the previous Awami League government, reports UNB.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued two separate notifications regarding secretaries, additional secretary on Thursday.

They are: Md. Kamrul Hasan, secretary of Disaster Management and Relief Ministry; Zakia Sultana, senior secretary of Industries Ministry; and Additional Secretary Shaila Farzana.

Among them, Kamrul Hasan served as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Moulvibazar during the previous Awami League government.

According to the ministry, Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana has been sent into mandatory retirement for opposing the July-August uprising.

Besides, Joint Secretary Dhananjoy Das has been temporarily suspended for taking a stance against the uprising and spreading propaganda about the current government.

Earlier, the government sent 21 deputy commissioners (DCs) into compulsory retirement due to their roles in the controversial elections held under the previous Awami League government.

Senior Secretary of the Public Administration ministry Md Mokhles Ur Rahman said the officials had served as returning officers in the general elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024 which are widely criticised as controversial.

He also said that 43 DCs have been made officers on special duty (OSD). "Those with less than 25 years of service have been made OSD, while those who have served for more than 25 years were sent on compulsory retirement," he added.