In a significant policy shift just weeks before the national election schedule, the interim government has scrapped the committee responsible for recommending bureaucratic appointments — effectively restoring the power of administrative reshuffling to the bureaucracy itself.
The decision dissolves the high-level Public Administration Affairs Committee, which the interim government had formed in January to end the culture of political consideration in appointments, transfers, and disciplinary actions involving deputy commissioners (DCs), divisional commissioners, joint secretaries, and other senior officials.
As a result, the Ministry of Public Administration and the Superior Selection Board have now resumed their previous roles in handling these key administrative matters.
Explaining the rationale behind the move, Power Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan — a member of the now-defunct committee — said the decision was largely voluntary.
“The main reason is that members of the committee themselves didn’t want it to continue,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh. “Political parties were questioning our neutrality. Whichever decision we made, one party or another would object. That became uncomfortable.”
The adviser acknowledged that reverting to the previous system means “a substantial amount of administrative authority has returned to the bureaucracy.”
“Now, as before, the Ministry of Public Administration will handle promotions and postings through its secretary and advisers — ultimately under the chief adviser’s supervision. But the initial screening and shortlisting will be done by bureaucrats,” he added.
Screening begins for new DCs
As election preparations intensify, the bureaucracy is abuzz with activity surrounding new DC appointments across the country. Last week, a five-member committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid began interviewing mid-level officials — mostly of the 29th BCS batch — to shortlist suitable candidates for district postings.
Officials at the Ministry of Public Administration said the committee has shortlisted 131 officers who are expected to be appointed as DCs soon. Apart from the cabinet secretary, the committee included Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Ehsanul Haque as member secretary, along with Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser M Siraj Uddin Mia, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry Nasimul Gani, and Senior Secretary of the Land Ministry ASM Saleh Ahmed.
Committee deemed ineffective
Public administration experts say the special committee formed by the interim government to bring transparency and neutrality in bureaucratic appointments has failed to deliver. Its dissolution, they argue, reflects a return to a tried and tested system that allows the bureaucratic machinery to function as before.
Currently, most DCs across 64 districts belong to the 24th, 25th, and 27th BCS batches. At least 16 of them have already been promoted to joint secretary but continue to serve in their earlier administrative posts.
The Public Administration Affairs Committee was originally formed on 9 January last year, four months after the interim government took office in August 2024. Headed by Finance Adviser Saleh Uddin Ahmed, the six-member body included Power Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Information Adviser Nahid Islam, Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, and the public administration secretary. When Nahid Islam resigned, current Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam replaced him.
The committee’s role was to advise the chief adviser on senior-level administrative matters, while the Ministry of Public Administration provided secretarial support. However, on 29 October, the government dissolved the committee. The interviews began on the very day for new DC appointments.
Political pressure over ‘neutral’ postings
For months, major political parties — including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami — have demanded that the interim government ensure “neutral” officers are posted across the field administration before the election. In meetings with the chief adviser, they argued that partisan appointments could tilt the electoral field. The chief adviser reportedly assured them he would personally oversee all postings.
But questions remain: with such a large number of appointments to process, how feasible is it for the chief adviser to scrutinize every case? In practice, it now appears that the power of screening and shortlisting has effectively returned to the bureaucrats themselves.
Power Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan further explained the committee was initially created to manage the overwhelming number of promotion and transfer cases being brought to the cabinet and public administration secretaries.
“The intention was good, and we worked neutrally,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid, meanwhile, said the advisers had begun to feel uncomfortable after differing opinions were voiced about the committee’s members.
“I was instructed from the top to dissolve it, and that’s what happened,” he said.
Asked whether bureaucrats had regained control, Rashid said, “The power of the bureaucracy always lies with the bureaucracy. I don’t see anyone gaining or losing from this.”
Experts welcome the return to the old system
Public administration analysts have largely welcomed the move, saying it restores a familiar structure and avoids the debates that plagued the civil administration.
Former secretary and ex-rector of the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, AKM Abdul Awal Majumdar, noted that similar committees had existed before — including one under BNP rule led by Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
“Back then, people were hesitant to approach him unless they were from the ruling party, so there weren’t many complaints. But this time the context is very different — multiple political forces are competing head-to-head,” he said.
He observed that the committee was formed in response to complaints from various parties, but those complaints persisted even after its formation. “If the cabinet and public administration secretaries convey the right information to the chief adviser, scrapping the committee was the right call. It simply didn’t work.”
“In one sense, yes, power has returned to the bureaucrats,” he said. “Because the chief adviser will have to rely on what they report — he doesn’t have time to review every case personally. At best, he can cross-check a few.”
Dhaka University public administration professor Sadik Hasan said the intense competition among parties to have their preferred officials posted to key administrative roles has created tension not just among politicians but also within the government itself.
“Before an election, everyone wants their trusted officers in the field,” he said. “That’s creating friction even inside the interim government. But given the current political climate, there’s really no right way to handle it. The government should ideally appoint only on the basis of performance, not political preference.”
