Disciplinary action recommended against 17 deputy secretaries

A probe committee has recommended disciplinary action against 17 deputy secretaries for their involvement in a scuffle over the appointments of deputy commissioner (DC) at the secretariat in the capital on September 10.

The committee proposed severe punishment for eight of the officials, minor penalties for four, and reprimand for the remaining five. However, the names of the public servants were not published.

Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhles Ur Rahman revealed the information at a press conference at the secretariat today.

On September 9, new DCs were appointed in 25 districts. Additional appointments were made in 34 more districts on September 10.

However, a group of officials expressed dissatisfaction over the appointments and demanded the cancellation of the gazette notification regarding the appointments.

On September 10, the protest escalated into a physical altercation in front of the public administration ministry office, which lasted for over three hours.

In response to the incident, the appointments of eight DCs were cancelled, and the joint secretary (field administration) of the public administration ministry was transferred.

The incident caused displeasure among the government's high-ups and the administrative leadership expressed internal frustration.

In response, a one-member probe committee was formed, led by MA Akmall Hossain Azad, senior secretary of the Health Services Division.