Retired officials from 25 BCS cadres demand retrospective promotion, citing discrimination

Retired officials from 25 Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadres -- all except the administration cadre -- have demanded promotions and equal benefits, alleging discrimination in government service.

They also called for an ordinance based on key recommendations of the Public Administration Reform Commission to eliminate inter-cadre inequality.

The demands were made on Saturday at a media briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity by Ahmed Ali Chowdhury Iqbal, coordinator of the “Coordination Council of Anti-Discrimination Retired Officers from 25 Cadres”.

Speaking about the interim government’s initiative to address “the deprivation of discriminated officials” during the previous administration, Iqbal said around 778 officials, either retired or dead, from the administration cadre had been granted retrospective promotions.

“The promotion orders mentioned the retrospective seniority and extended full financial benefits, including salary and allowances,” he said.

“Later, when officials from other cadres raised similar demands, applications were invited. After scrutiny, only 72 retired officers from the remaining 25 cadres were granted retrospective promotion. In reality, a large number of eligible officers were excluded without any reason.”

Iqbal added that even the retrospective promotion orders for officers from the 25 cadres were discriminatory.

“They were granted only basic salary arrears, gratuity, and pension-related benefits, whereas administration cadre officers received full financial entitlements.”

“We strongly demand that all applications from deprived officers of the 25 cadres be reconsidered and that they receive retrospective promotions with full salary and allowances, just like those in the administration cadre,” he said.

The coordination council also urged the government to promote officers whose advancement has been stalled at the third or fourth grade to higher grades to ensure parity.

Criticising what he described as the dominance of administration cadre officials, Iqbal said: “The administration cadre has occupied almost all ministerial positions by labelling them as administrative posts. Like jack-of-all-trades, they hold positions even without relevant experience, skills, or professionalism.

“Yet, when the civil service was formed, the posts of deputy secretary and above were kept as pool positions without being assigned to any specific cadre, including the administration cadre.

He went on to say that administration cadre officers had gradually taken over all deputy secretary and higher-level posts by “abusing their positional advantage” in the Ministry of Public Administration and the Cabinet Division.

“After the 2024 national election, these posts were officially incorporated into the administration cadre’s list,” he said.

“As a result, administration cadre members now wield official authority over other cadres, depriving citizens of the development and public services they deserve.”