Dr Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, principal secretary to the immediate past prime minister (PM), is the most prominent among the secretaries whose jobs were terminated. He is the most benefited bureaucrat of the immediate past BNP-led four-party alliance government. His job tenure was extended five times breaking all previous records in the civil administration.

The rest of the secretaries who received pink slips are Secretary to the President's Office Akhter Hossain Khan, secretary to the immediate past prime minister Khandokar Shahidul Islam, Communications Secretary M Shafiqul Islam, Shipping Secretary M Rafiqul Islam, Agriculture Secretary Kazi Abul Kashem, Housing and Public Works Secretary Iqbaluddin Chowdhury, Information Secretary Abdul Quaiyum, and Labour and Employment Secretary Capt (retd) Sujauddin Ahmed.

Cancelling the contractual appointments of government officials is one of the demands in the 11-point charter of demands of Awami League-led 14-party coalition, which was submitted yesterday to the chief adviser to the caretaker government.

The immediate past BNP-led alliance government had appointed almost 300 bureaucrats on contract during its tenure that ended on October 27 and about 200 were still serving when the power was transferred.

According to sources, proceedings for cancelling the contractual appointments of Director General of Rapid Action Battalion Aziz Sarker, and Additional Inspector General of Police Farrukh Ahmed Chowdhury are under way.

The sources said process is also on to change officers-in-charge of all the police stations in the country.

The announcement from Bangabhaban said 18 other secretaries and acting secretaries were transferred to new posts.

Planning Commission Member Ali Imam Majumder was made the principal secretary to the caretaker government chief while Rafiqul Islam was transferred from Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) to be the secretary to the president.

Home Secretary Safar Raj Hossain was made LGRD secretary while Local Government Division Secretary SM Jahirul Islam was made the home secretary.

Planning Commission Member Abdul Aziz was transferred as secretary to the agriculture ministry while Planning Commission Member Aminul Haq Bhuiyan was made the communications secretary.

Rural Development Academy Secretary Shaikh Enayetullah was transferred to shipping ministry.

Primary and Mass Education Secretary AKM Shamsuddin was moved to the women and children affairs ministry.

Expatriates Welfare Secretary Ashfaq Hamid was made the labour secretary while Women and Children Affairs Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed was made the information secretary.

Power Division Secretary ANH Akhtar Hossain was made the IMED secretary. Director of the Military Land Directorate FM Zafarullah was made the acting public works secretary.

Additional Secretary to the Economic Relations Division Badiur Rahman was made the acting power division secretary.

Land Appeal Board Member Bhupendra Chandra Debnath, and Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation Chairman Kazi Aminul Islam were moved to the Planning Commission as its acting members.

Bangladesh Betar DG AFM Matiur Rahman was made the acting secretary to the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division.

Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation Chairman Didarul Anwar was transferred to the expatriate welfare ministry as its acting secretary.

Bangladesh Rural Development Academy DG Abdul Huq was made the acting secretary to the Primary and Mass Education Division.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Division issued an order to replace the portrait of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in all government offices with that of Caretaker Government Chief Iajuddin Ahmed.