Barguna, Barisal DCs removed from duty over UNO harassment, Cabinet opens probe

In a flurry of steps over the harassment of a public servant, the government has stripped two district administration chiefs of official responsibilities while the Cabinet Division has opened a probe.

Barisal Deputy Commissioner Gazi Md Saifuzzaman and Barguna DC Bashirul Alam have been removed from their posts as punishment as they have failed to perform their duties, Public Administration Secretary Md Mozammel Haque Khan told bdnews24.com. “They are now attached to the public administration ministry.”

Habibur Rahman, private secretary to the state minister for social welfare, has been made the Barisal DC while Pabna District Council Chief Executive Mokhlesur Rahman will take the Barguna assignment.

A panel will investigate whether the case against Barguna UNO Gazi Tariq Salmon and the subsequent events breached the law, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told the media on Monday.

While serving as the Upazila administration chief or UNO of Barisal's Agailjhara, Salmon used a drawing of Bangabandhu by a fifth-grader for the invitation card of the Independence Day celebrations.

Salmon, now stationed in Barguna, was sued by Barisal Bar Association President Obaidullah Saju for using the drawing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which he alleges was distorted.

Saju also sat on the Awami League's Barisal district unit committee.

On Jul 19, Salmon appeared in court and said in his defence that the portrait was one of the winners of an official drawing competition for school children for National Children's Day.

Bangladesh observes the day of Mar 17, the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu.

Barisal's chief judicial magistrate turned down Salmon's bail plea. The public servant was kept in a lock-up of the court for two hours until the same judge granted him bail.

Netizens flooded the social media with angry posts that included photos of Tariq being taken to jail from the court with handcuffs on.

Civil servants' body, Bangladesh Administrative Service Association or BASA also condemned the incident and called for actions against those involved in a statement.

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A day after the court hearing, the Awami League suspended Saju over the lawsuit and sought his explanation.

The next day, police withdrew six of its men, including three officers, who were on duty in Barisal court that day.

On Sunday, the Awami League leader dropped the charges and pleaded to the court to withdraw the lawsuit, which was granted.

The Cabinet Division formed a five-member committee on Jul 22 to probe whether the lawsuit against UNO Salmon and the subsequent events breached the law. The committee will have to file its findings within 15 days.

“They will investigate whether any aspect of the incident was in breach of the law and whether it was misused,” Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam told reporters after Monday's regular cabinet meeting.

The panel led by an additional secretary includes officials from home, law and public administration ministries and the Prime Minister’s Office.