This is breeding frustration and resentment among an increasing number of government officials, greatly hampering smooth functioning of the administration.

Allegations are rife that officials loyal to the BNP and its major coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami are being rewarded with more lucrative and important posts.

Last week 378 senior assistant secretaries were promoted as deputy secretaries and sources said more promotion is coming in May. Despite having requisite qualification, about 200 officials were ignored for promotion this time too.

POLITICAL ADMINISTRATION
Since coming to power, the coalition government is putting officers loyal to it in key posts. While a section of public servants took part in anti-government movement under the banner of Janatar Mancha in 1996, the ruling alliance now wants to make sure it has officials of its choice in important positions.

Sources pointed out that the ministries are being by and large controlled from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), making for establishment of political influence on the administration. In many cases, secretaries are being transferred without the knowledge of the ministers concerned. The sources cited the recent transfer of three secretaries to justify their contention.

"I don't know when my (ministry's) secretary is being transferred or who is coming next. I learn that from newspaper reports. My executive authority as minister is being challenged, which consequently weakens the chain of command," a senior minister said seeking anonymity.

He mentioned that four secretaries have been changed during his three-year tenure.

Cabinet Secretary ASM Abdul Halim's presence and speech at a political meeting at Islampur in Jamalpur on December 31 last evoked sharp reaction in the administration. Rumours are afloat that Halim will contest the next elections on BNP ticket. His contractual service will expire in August.

A former cabinet secretary, preferring not to be named, noted that such activities are a gross violation of government service rules. "Neutrality of the administration is destroyed in these ways. If a government employee wants to join politics, he must quit job or go into retirement," he said.

But many of the high government officials are found to engage in extra-administrative activities that are political in nature.

Meanwhile, the number of contractual appointments is also increasing and it now stands at more than 240. Most of such appointments and extension of contracts are being made on political grounds.

The same trend was also marked during the previous Awami League rule.

Officials who either got contractual appointment or extension of their contract include Cabinet Secretary ASM Abdul Halim, Principal Secretary to the PM Kamal Siddiqui, PMO Secretary Khandakar Shahidul Islam, Law Secretary Alauddin Sarder, Telecommunications Secretary Hasan Mansur, Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Chairman Omar Faruk, Director General of BIAM Foundation Shahidul Alam, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Khairuzzaman Chowdhury, Communications Secretary Shahidul Islam, Public Works Secretary Iqbal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Agriculture Secretary Kazi Abul Kashem.

PRO JAMAAT OFFICIALS
A persisting rumour in the Secretariat is that a number of important posts including those of secretaries and additional secretaries of different ministries are now held by officials inclined to the Jamaat-e-Islami.

A former secretary said about 20 percent of the officials promoted as secretaries and additional secretaries have soft corner for Jamaat. Ministries including establishment, education, industries, environment and forest, public works and housing, food and disaster management, social welfare and religious affairs are dominated by officials subscribing to Jamaat ideologies.

A newly promoted secretary on condition of anonymity said: "If one has to get good posting, he has to be Jamaat-minded. It is very dangerous for both BNP and the government."

It is believed that most of the top officials of the industries and social welfare ministries are loyal to Jamaat ideology. Jamaat's Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami is in charge of the industries ministry while its Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid is in charge of the social welfare ministry.

PROMOTION AND POSTING
Last week's promotion of 378 senior assistant secretaries to the rank of deputy secretary (DS) has resulted in a large number of officials becoming officer on special duty (OSD).

The government officials now have to be concerned about posting besides promotion. A good number of officials who have been promoted as additional and joint secretaries have not yet got posting. Some of them even have got "green signal" from the ministry, but the files seem to get stuck at the PMO. There is allegation that if a particular official does not enjoy the PMO's confidence, he does not get posting.

Some 12 additional secretary level posts are now lying vacant. These include chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), chairman of Power Development Board (PDB), chairman of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), chairman of Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC), chief controller of import and export, and additional secretary to the water resources ministry.

The post of managing director (MD) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines has been lying vacant for more than one year. Biman's Director (Marketing) Mahmoodur Rahman is now the acting MD of the national airlines.

A number of additional secretaries when contacted said they are lobbying everybody including the PMO, but could not secure their posting.

On the other hand, the post of DG of the Department of Environment that is of additional secretary level has been filled in by a joint secretary when many of the additional secretaries are not getting posts.