Highly placed sources at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said fresh contract to Siddiqui was approved on Wednesday, a day before an official notification was made yesterday.

Sources said Siddiqui's renewal of contract came when the government was discouraging contractual appointment of top officials because of resentment and stagnation in the civil administration.

Under the government policy, prominent secretaries like Shahidul Alam, Shah Mohammad Farid, AYBI Siddiqi, Anisul Haq Chowdhury, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed and many others were not given fresh contracts despite strong lobbying for them.

Sources at the PMO had earlier hinted that Kamal would not be given a fresh job contract as Prime Minister Khaleda Zia turned down his nomination for the Asian Development Bank.

High officials spoke against Kamal's contractual appointment, saying such a practice was blocking the promotion of eligible secretaries.

Sources said some senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party with left leanings convinced the prime minister to give a fresh contract to Kamal, pegged by them as peerless in the administration.