“Ministries under inexperienced, unskilled leadership,” 25 cadres say, demanding change

The Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council calls for scrapping quotas and seeking merit-based promotions

The Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council, representing 25 cadres of the Bangladesh Civil Service, or BCS, has alleged that the current quota system for promotions to deputy secretary positions allows “inexperienced” and “inefficient” officers from the administration cadre to lead ministries.

At a discussion held at the Krishibid Institution of Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday, the council called for the abolition of the current quota system and demanded promotions based purely on merit through examinations.

The council’s Chief Coordinator Md Mofizur Rahman said, “Inexperienced, unskilled people are leading ministries. Why is the health cadre not heading its own ministry?”

Mofizur, a 24th batch officer of the education cadre, criticised the monopoly of administration cadre officials over policy-making roles in key ministries like health and education.

Despite the health cadre comprising 32,000 officers, none occupy Grade 1 or Grade 2 positions, he said.

The officer criticised the discriminatory promotion process.

He said, "I didn’t join the civil service to be told that the promotion meeting is cancelled because someone in [the administration cadre] is not in a good mood today.

“I didn't come to be promoted at the mercy of someone else."

Mofizur added, "My promotion should be handled by my cadre service officials, or a neutral body should oversee promotions for both them and us."

On Dec 17, Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, the head of the Public Administration Reform Commission, proposed reducing the administration cadre’s quota for deputy secretary promotions from 75 percent to 50 percent and introducing merit-based examinations.

Currently, 75 percent of deputy secretary positions are reserved for the administration cadre, with the remaining 25 percent allocated to the other cadres.

In protest against the commission’s recommendations, administration cadre officials staged a demonstration at the ministry.

They described the proposal as “illogical and conspiratorial” and demanded 100 percent of the deputy secretary promotions be reserved for their cadre.

In response to growing tensions between the administration cadre and the other 25 cadres, the Ministry of Public Administration said misunderstandings would be resolved once the reform commission’s report is finalised.

Mofizur pointed out that after the July Revolution, many believed that the abolition of the 56 percent quota in civil service recruitment would end discrimination.

However, he said a more severe form of quota persists within the promotion process.

"Students who protested, sacrificed their lives, and hoped for equality will come into jobs only to face more discrimination.

“They will protest again after joining the workforce. Future generations will also witness this disparity."

The officer highlighted the dominance of the administration cadre in promotions.

"The person who decides my promotion is the same one responsible for theirs.

“If they [administration cadre] consider themselves meritorious, why are they unwilling to take an exam?"

Mofizur said leaders of the council had met 11 advisors of the interim government.

"They all said our demands are valid and told us to continue the discussions."

He clarified that the meeting was not a rally or a protest.

The officer emphasised that it was a discussion aimed at addressing the ongoing issues.