Nine deputy secretaries were transferred, eight OSDs (officers on special duties) were posted in different ministries, and two other officials were placed on deputation.

There is however about 200 more officials working on contracts.

Secretary to the Establishment Ministry AFM Solaiman Chowdhury said there will be more changes in the field level administration.

There are 69 new persons on the fit-list for deputy commissioner (DC) level posts.

"100 more will be interviewed to extend the list, which will take about six weeks," he said, adding, "More DCs will be transferred and changed."

In reply to a query by reporters, he said the ministry will need more time to make changes in the administration. "Be a little patient," was his reply, adding that the ministry had sought around 10 to 15 days, only three of which already passed.

Meanwhile, last night's changes will have very little effect on the upcoming election as the posts have no relation to the election machinery.

Moreover, several officials were already at the end of their contracts.

The officials whose contracts were cancelled are Major Gen (retd) Imam-uz-Zaman, chairman of Bangladesh Chemical and Industries Corporation, Muhammad Abdul Alim Khan, secretary to the Anti-corruption Commission, Zulfikar Haidar Chowdhury, managing director of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Jamil Majid, principal of Foreign Service Academy, Dr Mohammad Reaz Hassan Khandakar, chairman of Bangladesh Internal Water Transport Authority, Touhidul Islam, chairman of Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority, Ashraf Ali, managing director of Rajshahi Agriculture Development Bank, Prof Abdul Baki Chowdhury, chairman of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board of Sylhet, Mokhlesur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Advocate Taimur Alam Khandakar, chairman of Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority, Ahmad Nazir, director general (DG) of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Mahmudul Huq, DG of Bangladesh National Museum, Habibur Rahman, director of drug administration, Dr M Shahadat Hossain, DG of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Dr M Mahiul Huq, DG of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, SM Waliur Rahman, DG of the Department of Youth Development, Engineer Imdadul Huq, DG of Bangladesh Petroleum Institute, Ibrahim Khalil, DG (current charges) of the Department of Agriculture Extension, Anwarul Kabir Chowdhury, member of Rural Electrification Board, Dr S Asaduzzaman, executive director of the Rajshahi branch of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, M Nazrul Islam, director (finance) of Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Corporation (Petrobangla), Dr Abdul Hye Siddique, DG of Press Institute of Bangladesh, Shafiq-ul-Islam, director of Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation in Sonargoan, Abdul Ohab, director (finance) of BIWTC, AFM Ishak, director (marketing) of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, Dr Jahirul Huq Bhuiyan, director of Bangladesh Council of Science and Industrial Research, Khakhawat Ullah, chief revenue officer of Dhaka City Corporation, Abdul Kader, deputy director (survey) of the Department of Land Records and Survey, and Rafiqul Alam Chowdhury, general manager of Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation.

Meanwhile, Nousher Ahmed Chowdhury of the establishment ministry was transferred to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock; M Mahbubul Alam, DG of Life Insurance Corporation to the agriculture ministry; and Khandakar Atiar Rahman of the fisheries and livestock ministry to the establishment ministry.

AFM Faruq Hossain of the agriculture ministry was transferred to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives; Sigir Ahmed, DC of Meherpur, was made an OSD; Mohammad Shahidul Islam, who had been an OSD, was posted in the President's Office; BM Kamal of the LGRD and cooperatives ministry was made general manager of Jiban Bima Corporation, and Zakir Hossain, ADC of Manikganj, was transferred to Dhaka City Corporation as its DG (transportation).

Uttam Kumar Mandol, deputy commissioner (DC) of Shariatpur was made an OSD.

Six deputy secretaries, who had been made OSDs earlier, were posted in different ministries.

Sharab Uddin Ahmed and Habibul Islam were posted in the land ministry; Begum Nasrin Akhtar and Afroza Begum were posted in the education ministry; Abul Bashar and Abdul Hamid were posted in the agriculture ministry.

Ananta Kumar Chowdhury, deputy director of Land Administration Training Centre (LATC) was made director of LATC, and OSD Deputy Secretary Mahmuda Akhter was appointed as deputy director of LATC.

Al Amin Mustafizur Rahman, who had been an OSD, and Abdul Kader, who had been posted in the President's Office, were transferred to Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management Foundation (BIAM) on deputation.