The administration cadre officers of Bangladesh Civil Service on Sunday held a demonstration at the Bangladesh Secretariat protesting the recommendation of the Public Administration Reform Commission to reduce the quota for their promotions to the post of deputy secretary at 50 per cent from existing 75 per cent.
Several hundreds of admin officials led by Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) President Md Anwar Ullah took position in front of the Public Administration Ministry building.
Later, around 20 BASA leaders met the ministry's Senior Secretary Md Mokhles Ur Rahman and submitted their demands and proposals in a written format.
After the meeting, Dr Mokhles said the ministry will sit with BASA to discuss the issues this week before the reform commission's recommendations are finalised.
"There will not be any misunderstanding between officials from different cadres after that meeting," he assured, adding, "Many people are commenting on the reformation of the public administration. BASA has submitted their written proposal. We will send it to the commission."
Administration cadre officials are also demanding establishment of 'Bangladesh Administrative Service' to separate the administration cadre from the rest of the cadres. Numbers of administration cadre officials are presenting their demands on social media by attaching a logo with their posts.
An administration cadre official wrote, "A free and independent Bangladesh Administrative Service could be the most effective reform of the public administration."
On December 17, the Reform Commission Chairman Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, also a former secretary, told reporters that they will recommend keeping 50 per cent of the deputy secretary posts for administrative officials and the other 50 per cent for officials from other cadres for promotion.
According to the current rules, 75 per cent of the deputy secretary posts are reserved for administrative officials and the other 25 per cent for other cadres.
Earlier on Saturday, the Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, a body of 25 other cadres including health and education, demanded fulfilling the secretary posts of the relevant ministries and divisions with the officers of relevant cadres.
They have announced programmes of rally, work abstention, submission of memorandum and human chain in front of their offices demanding quota-free deputy secretary pool for promotion.
