Abul Kashem discharged the duty of APD (appointment, posting and deputation) when he was joint secretary of the government. The appointment and transfer of the secretaries, additional secretaries, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners (DC) who run the administration in Bangladesh were done through his hands. It was he who on behalf of the government made the contractual appointments. The final orders for promotion, including deputation, of the influential were also signed by him. So everyone tried to keep him pleased. The MPs moved after him to get DCs of their choice. Even ministers lobbied with him to get an efficient officer. His influence did not decrease even after his transfer as commissioner of transport pool from the post of APD (appointment, posting and deputation). Then he was an additional secretary. But everything went upside down after the exit of last caretaker government. That powerful officer was made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Then those who used to move around him to take the taste of ‘honey’ of job did not even recognise him. The job is intact but there is no work. Address is there, but no place to sit in. He passes time by gossiping at the rooms of friends. At one stage, they are also annoyed. The family members are also embarrassed as the duration of OSD period gets longer. After long 4 years of this unbearable OSD life Abul Kashem went on normal retirement on December 31. Abul Kashem said, “Those who were benefited by me, betrayed more. So I want to forget everything. I don’t like to say anything about service life.” The service life of these government officers who are victims of political rivalry, is going to end in OSD. After remaining without work for long, at the time of departure they do not get a flower or any message of sympathy. They are moving towards death amid mental torture. Because according to long time tested system ‘retirement’ is given only when ability to work is lost. And they were kept sitting idle as OSD when they had ability to work. The people of the country were deprived of their services. And to deprive the people of their services the government had to spend Tk 50 crore 10 lakh and 58 thousand. This money was spent for 163 OSDs during the two consecutive terms of Awami League government. Along with money much working power was also wasted. During the last ten months of the Grand Alliance government ten additional secretaries went on retirement after remaining OSDs for long time. After long period without work three secretaries, 25 additional secretaries and 85 joint secretaries are also going on retirement. They were also without work from almost the outset of last Grand Alliance government. When this correspondent wanted to know about the government plan to bring back OSD officers to work, state minister for public administration Ismat Ara Sadeq, did not agree to make any comment. But Dr Mahbubur Rahman, former secretary of establishment ministry (present name public administration ministry) said, “These are not good signs. Keeping someone as OSD for long without reason and send him home from there is symptom of sick service. If any officer commits any offence he should be tried according to law. But it is unbearable if you refrain from giving punishment and at the same time keep him hanging. For the officer concerned such exit is of disgrace and dishonour. This incident proves that the whole administration has reached a sub-standard condition. Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said, the constitution states clearly that it is the responsibility of the government to protect the rights of the officials of the administration. An administration free from partisan outlook can not be expected if OSDs are made on political consideration. Mofizul Karim is one of the officers who went on retirement after being Officers on Special Duty (OSD) for long time as additional secretary. He was made OSD 18 days after the grand alliance came to power. The grand alliance government took oath on January 9 in 2009. He was made OSD on January 27. Mofizul Karim went on retirement on April 26 last and Abul Kashem went on retirement on December 31 last. He was made OSD on December 31 in 2009. Mahbubul Alam was made OSD in 2010 and he went on retirement on January 16 last. Khandker Mohammad Ali went on retirement on September 23 last and was made OSD in 2012. During the time Khurshida Khatun, AKM Yahiya, Dr Hafizur Rahman and Syed Mustafizur Rahman went on retirement. Salary scale of an additional secretary is Tk 33,000 to 39,000. Every month the government spends Tk 1,30,000 on an average for the same status official. Some 10 additional secretaries were made OSDs since 2009. Of them, the three officials who were made OSDs since January in 2009 are Masud Elahi, Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury, William Atul Kulunton, Aftab Hossain, Maksumul Hakim Chowdhury, Fazlur Rahman, Moklesur Rahman, Mahmudul Karim, Dr SA Abdur Rashid and Abu Bakr Md Shahjahan. Dr SK Abdur Rashid stood first in merit list of his batch. He was made OSD on January 25 in 2009. He discharged his last duty in Home Ministry as additional secretary. Besides 10 additional secretaries, another four additional secretaries were made OSDs since 2010. Government is spending Tk 9, 66, 14,000 for those officials. Government spends Tk 89,000 for a joint secretary every month on an average. 23 officials were made OSDs since 2009. Among them, Dr AHM Mustain Billah was made OSD in January the same year. After taking oath the nerw government made him OSD on January 20. On the same day Anis Uddin Manjur was made OSD and after three days Md Delwar Hossain was made OSD. In February joint secretaries Roksana Ferdous, Serajuddin Mia, Jamaluddin Ahmed, Akhtar Ahmed were made OSDs. Twenty three joint secretaries were made OSDs in 2009, 12 in 2010, 13 in 2011 and 8 in 2012 and 29 others were made OSDs since 2013. After making OSD in step by step government spent Tk 32, 41,84,000 till this month. Officials of deputy secretary status are getting salaries and other benefits under the scale of Tk 22250 to 31,250. On average a deputy secretary is getting Tk 42,000 as salary per month. Bashiruddin Ahmed and Abdullah al Baki, two deputy secretaries were made OSDs on February in 2009. In the same year, Mohammad Shamser Ali in May, SK Alauddin in June, Emdadul Haque in June and Shahana Yeasmin, Khandker Md Moklesur Rahman in September and Nazimuddin Chowdhury in December were made OSD. Besides 41 deputy secretaries were made OSD from 2010 to 2013. Government spent Tk 7,24,50,000 against each of the officials. Of three secretaries, Ibadat Ali was made an OSD 37 months ago, Mahbubur Rahman made an OSD 19 months ago and Nurul Haque made an OSD 15 months ago. The government spends on an average Tk one lakh ten thousand per month for those secretaries. Without giving them important tasks, till now the government has spent a total of Tk 78 lakh and 10 thousand for them. Joint secretary Rafiqul I Mohammad was made an OSD on March 26, 2007 and A KM Zahangir was made an OSD on March 31, 2007. They are still OSDs. The other senior OSDs are: Deputy Secretary Kamruzzaman Chowdhury who was made an OSD on November 27, 2007, joint secretary CM Yusuf Hossain made an OSD on May 13, 2008, deputy secretary Ruhul Amin made an OSD on June 14, 2008 and additional secretary Shafiqul Islam was made an OSD on December 30, 2008. There is another problem in the administration which is called ‘OSD attachment’ as OSDs are given attachment with ministries. Under this circumstance, OSD attached with public administration ministry can perform some works of different ministries. But the OSD concerned attached with other ministries except public administration ministry cannot draw his/her salary from the same ministry. The salary is issued from the public administration ministry. Many officers attached with several ministries try to get rid of the job of OSD. In such a way, they can ensure their sitting arrangements. Currently, there are a total of 131 joint secretaries who were made OSDs and are now attached with different ministries. Being OSDs, some 12 deputy secretaries are also now attached with various ministries. In addition, there are some other officers who were made OSDs as they are staying abroad for different purposes such as education and training. But the number is very few. Besides, some officials were made OSDs for the reasons of corruption and unruliness. So, some officers were made OSDs in 2014.
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