After months of protests, demonstrations, and hunger strikes, 162 previously excluded candidates from the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) have finally been gazetted.
The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification on Tuesday, officially confirming their inclusion and paving the way for their appointment to various cadre posts.
These candidates had been demanding gazette inclusion since January 2025, after being left out of the final recruitment notice despite being recommended by the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC).
Their exclusion triggered a wave of protests, including press conferences, human chains, and eventually hunger strikes. Several candidates began an indefinite hunger strike on 29 April, demanding gazette inclusion and a clear policy on verification-related disqualifications.
The recruitment process for the 43rd BCS began more than four years ago with the publication of the circular on 30 November 2020.
Following the preliminary, written, and viva examinations, the BPSC recommended 2,163 candidates for cadre appointments on 26 December 2023. However, after background checks and verifications, 99 candidates were disqualified.
On 15 October 2024, the Ministry of Public Administration issued the first gazette, officially appointing 2,064 candidates.
Just two months later, on 30 December, this gazette was cancelled and replaced with a second one.
The updated notification reduced the number of appointed candidates to 1,896—excluding 267 individuals. Among these, 40 had been absent from the mandatory medical examination, and 227 were deemed temporarily unsuitable based on intelligence reports and other verification concerns.
The excluded candidates, especially the 227 who had completed all examinations and formalities, began a sustained campaign demanding transparency and a fair resolution.
Their persistent efforts have now partially paid off, with 162 of them receiving official appointment through the latest gazette.
While this development has brought relief to the newly gazetted candidates, questions remain over the status of the remaining excluded individuals.
It also highlights ongoing issues in the recruitment and verification process, with many calling for clearer guidelines to prevent such prolonged uncertainties in future BCS recruitments.
The 43rd BCS remains one of the most delayed and disputed recruitment rounds in recent years, with its implications likely to shape future discussions on civil service reforms and administrative transparency in Bangladesh.