July saw significant changes in administration with the appointment of five new Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) in 30 districts.
Officers of the 22nd BCS batch, who have served for two to three years, were removed from their posts. Now, 24th, 25th and 27th BCS batch officers are working as DCs in different districts.
The appointment to the posts is significant as DCs and Divisional Commissioners play the role of returning officers in national elections. Generally, during the appointment of ministers, their private secretaries get priority and this time the scenario was not new.
Eight private secretaries have been made DCs in different districts.
However, Minister of State for Public Administration Farhad Hussain refuted the claims of favoritism in appointments, saying that DCs are appointed on the basis of merit. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) appoints the best officers as PS and the ministers have no say in the appointment process.
Several administrative officials, on the condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that the officers of the 25th batch are a bit distressed as the number of DCs appointed from that batch is relatively less.
Only 21 officers from that batch (inducted in 2006) were made DCs, while 40 officers from the 24th batch (inducted in 2005), 42 from the 22nd batch (inducted in 2003), 42 from the 21st batch (inducted in 2003) 33, 48 officers were made from the 20th batch. (inducted in 2001) and 18 officers of the 27th batch were made DCs.