Twenty-two Deputy Commissioners who served during controversial elections under the Awami League government have been sent into compulsory retirement, according to Md Mokhlesur Rahman, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration.
The Senior Secretary made this statement while talking to journalists at the ministry on Thursday, February 20, in response to a question.
He said, "The elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024—some call them controversial, others label them unacceptable, and some refer to them as 'nighttime voting.' These elections have brought us to this situation today because of the returning officers who supported the government across these three terms. The DCs at the time played a highly negative role. Not a single DC protested, resigned, or refused to serve as a returning officer, saying, 'I won’t do this.'"
Mokhlesur Rahman further explained, "So far, we have designated 43 individuals (DCs) as Officers on Special Duty (OSD). Those with less than 25 years of service have been made OSD, while those with more than 25 years of service are being sent into compulsory retirement."
He added, "Today, we issued an order placing 22 individuals—who were DCs during those elections and are now serving as secretaries—into compulsory retirement."