Tag: PSC

The government is exercising increased caution in appointing new members to the Public Service Commission (PSC) after the controversy surrounding the six members appointed in December last year. Their appointments were eventually revoked, causing significant embarrassment for the administration. This time, authorities are conducting thorough checks on the identities and qualifications of recommended candidates. Sources from the Ministry of Public Administration and the PSC have confirmed this to Prothom Alo, explaining the delay in new appointments. Increased Workload Due to Delayed Appointments The delay in appointing new members is impacting PSC operations, causing a backlog of tasks. The constitutional body is struggling to manage both pending and new responsibilities without a full panel of members. Currently, the PSC has nine members, including the chairman, down from the previous total of 15. A PSC source revealed to Prothom Alo that criticism on social media about the most recent appointees led to the suspension of their oath-taking. The backlash stemmed from claims that some of the appointees were close to the previous government. As a result, the President approved the cancellation of their appointments, and the Ministry of Public Administration issued an official notification. The six individuals whose appointments were revoked are: Professor Shahnaz Sarkar Md. Munir Hossain Brigadier General (Retd.) A.F. Jaglul Ahmed Md. Mizanur Rahman Shabbir Ahmed Chowdhury Professor Syeda Shahina Sobhan They were appointed as new PSC members on January 2. However, on January 8, the PSC sent a letter to the Supreme Court Registrar General’s office requesting the suspension of their oath. Following this, the Supreme Court postponed the swearing-in ceremony. Reasons Behind the Caution in New Appointments The backlash against the previous appointees arose due to allegations that they were beneficiaries of the previous government’s favoritism and were complicit in its misdeeds. To avoid repeating such controversies, the government is now meticulously vetting potential candidates. An additional secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration, speaking anonymously, mentioned that every aspect—educational qualifications, political affiliations, impartiality, and professional competence—is being scrutinized to prevent future disputes or appointment cancellations. This thorough vetting process is contributing to the delay in new appointments. Operational Challenges Due to Member Shortage PSC members play critical roles, including overseeing different BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) exams, leading units, managing non-cadre recruitments, setting examination questions, moderating, scheduling tests, and releasing results. Following a period of inactivity during the previous government, the commission members resigned, leading to the appointment of a new chairman and eight members. These members are currently conducting viva exams for the 44th BCS, which run until 2:30 PM daily. This schedule leaves little time for other tasks, and the reduced number of members is further straining operations. With the current workload and exhaustion from viva sessions, the pace of PSC’s work has slowed considerably. The lack of new appointments has hindered the commission’s ability to launch new initiatives. PSC officials believe that appointing new members is essential to overcoming this operational bottleneck. PSC’s new chairman, Mobasher Monem, also emphasized the need for fresh appointments. He expressed hope that the government would expedite the process, allowing the commission to function more efficiently.

Tag: PSC

Why the Government is Cautious About New PSC Member Appointments

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