Ministers can handpick assistant private secretaries

The government has appointed private secretaries to new ministers, but they can still handpick their assistant private secretaries.

But the new ministers will need to ensure that the individuals they want as APS have enough qualifications to apply for posts equivalent to first-class civil servants.   

In a break from tradition, the public administration ministry on Wednesday selected officials for appointment as private secretaries in line with a directive from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

Government ministers, who had enjoyed the privilege of choosing their private secretaries, can still have their preferred candidates appointed as APS, said State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain.  

Forty-five government officials holding the rank of deputy secretary and one official with the rank of assistant secretary were appointed as private secretaries to the new ministers in two orders issued by the public administration ministry on Wednesday.

The appointment order will be in effect as long as the ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers are in office, or as long as the ministers decide to keep their private secretaries in office.