Six-month wait for deprived officials of 27th BCS

After a long 17-year legal battle, they got jobs. They also got the opportunity to join the state service through the Supreme Court's verdict. But even after assuming office, a large portion of the deprived officials of the 27th BCS are not getting their salaries for months. As a result, the joy of getting a job through the court's verdict has faded for many due to financial uncertainty and administrative complications.

Sources concerned say that the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has ordered the appointment of 1,137 job seekers who passed the first viva examination of the 27th BCS, which was canceled in 2007, after settling a long-running case. The court's verdict is seen as an exceptional decision in the country's administrative history, because after almost two decades, job seekers got the opportunity to enter government service.

To implement the court's directive, the Ministry of Public Administration published a gazette on December 18 last year, appointing 673 candidates to various cadres in the first phase. Later, in May this year, a separate notification was issued appointing 96 more candidates. Among the appointees are officers from various cadres including administration, education, agriculture, and health.

The government has also taken an important decision not only on the appointment, but also on their seniority. According to the decision of the Ministry of Public Administration, the seniority of these officers will be considered effective from the appointment period of the main batch. As a result, it is expected that they will not be discriminated against in terms of promotion, career advancement, and administrative position.

However, a new complication has arisen in reality. Many of the appointed officers have not received their salaries even after almost six months of joining. The officials concerned said that even after joining the service, no salary and allowances were disbursed. Many of them have faced family and financial crises due to this.

Some of the appointed officers said on condition of anonymity that they had waited for about 17 years to get a job. They had planned to start a new life after the court verdict. But many of them are still in debt due to not receiving salaries even after joining the service. Some are relying on family savings, while others are taking help from relatives.

According to sources in the Ministry of Public Administration, a proposal was sent to the Ministry of Finance a few months ago due to the need for clarification on some issues related to salary determination, entry into service, seniority and financial benefits of the appointed officials. Later, in April, the document was sent from the Regulations department of the Ministry of Finance to the Implementation department. But since then, there has been no visible change in the progress of the matter.

The complaints of the concerned, the delay in paying salaries even after the court verdict and the appointment through the government gazette became effective indicate a lack of administrative coordination. On the one hand, the officials are suffering financially, and on the other hand, their trust in the state administration may also be negatively affected.

In this regard, former secretary and public administration expert Anwar Faruk said, 'When an official receives a legally and administratively valid appointment and assumes responsibility, it is the responsibility of the state to ensure his salary and allowances. It is not desirable for salaries to be withheld for months due to any kind of explanation or procedural complexity. This is not only an administrative problem, but also a humanitarian problem.'

He further said, 'Since the government has recognized their seniority, the issue of salary and allowances also needs to be resolved quickly. Those who got jobs through a court ruling after a long period of deprivation should not be kept in uncertainty again. It is important to take a quick decision through coordination between the ministries concerned.'

Public administration analysts believe that the issue of these 27th BCS appointed officers is not limited to an administrative file. It is also a question of implementing justice after a long legal battle. Even if the appointment is confirmed through a court ruling, if the implementation of basic financial rights is delayed, then that justice remains partial.

Currently, the appointed officers want a quick reduction in salary and allowances and an end to the related complications. They expect the Public Administration and Finance ministries to prioritize the issue and resolve it quickly. Because they do not want another round of uncertainty and deprivation to be added to the jobs they got after waiting for almost two decades.

The biggest expectation for these officials, who have been given the opportunity to perform state duties after a long 17-year legal struggle, is that their fair salary and due rights be quickly ensured, along with the recognition of their appointment.