Major Reshuffle at the Top of the Administration: Seven Secretaries Transferred, Ayesha Akhtar Made Secretary
The government has brought a major reshuffle at the top level of public administration. The postings of seven officers of secretary rank have been changed, one additional secretary has been promoted and made a secretary, and two additional secretaries have been given the responsibility of acting secretary.
The reshuffle orders were issued on Sunday through separate notifications signed by Jeti Pru, deputy secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration. Changes at the top posts of so many ministries and divisions at once have rarely been seen in recent times.
According to the notification, Ms. Ayesha Akhtar, additional secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, has been promoted to the post of secretary and posted as secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute. In this reshuffle, she is the only officer to receive promotion to the post of full secretary.
At the same time, two additional secretaries have been given the responsibility of acting secretary in two important ministries. Mahfuzul Alam Khan, additional secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has been made acting secretary of his own ministry. And Md. Abul Hasanat Humayun Kabir, director general (additional secretary) of the Directorate of Land Records and Surveys, has received the responsibility of acting secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
As part of changing the workplaces of the current secretaries, Md. Ashraful Islam, secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, has been transferred as rector of the National Academy for Development Administration (NADA). Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has been posted as a secretary attached to the Ministry of Public Administration.
Change has also come to the Posts and Telecommunications Division. The division's secretary, Ms. Bilkis Jahan Rimi, has been made a member (secretary) of the Planning Commission. She has been succeeded by Dr. Md. Kamruzzaman, rector of the National Academy for Development Administration, who has been given the responsibility of secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division.
Sharaf Uddin Ahmad Chowdhury, who had been serving as secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, has been made secretary of the Ministry of Commerce. On the other hand, Md. Ataur Rahman Khan, secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, has been transferred as secretary of the Ministry of Shipping.
Md. Zakaria, who held the responsibility of secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, has been appointed chairman (secretary) of the National River Conservation Commission. As a result, in one chain of notifications, new leadership came to all of them — the ministries of commerce, textiles and jute, shipping, posts and telecommunications, youth and sports, and liberation war affairs.
Secretaries are the chief executive officers of each ministry and division of the administration. The main responsibility of implementing policy decisions, supervising subordinate offices and agencies, and administrative coordination with the minister rests in their hands. Therefore, this kind of coordinated reshuffle at the top posts is seen as an important indication of administrative dynamism.
As a result of this reshuffle, the process of handing over responsibilities will begin in several ministries. The officers who have received new responsibilities will join their respective workplaces and take hold of the ongoing work. In the case of the acting secretaries, the process of appointing full secretaries is expected to be completed at a later time.
No specific reason for the reshuffle was stated by the government. However, the notification mentions that this order was issued as part of regular transfers and postings in the administration. The order will take effect immediately, it was stated.
