BTRC Promotions Spark Debate Amid Grade Gaps
Officials and employees of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) have received long-awaited promotions following approval at the commission’s 304th meeting. Promotion letters were issued on February 10. Through three separate office orders, 25 officials were promoted to various positions within the commission, while 11 employees in Grade 10 and below were also elevated.
However, no promotions were granted from Grade 11 to Grade 10 or from Grade 10 to Grade 9. Effectively, promotions were awarded from Grade 9 to Grade 6, bypassing the two intermediate grades.
According to available data and relevant sources, under the February 8 commission meeting decision, those promoted to Grade 10 and below include: Begum Taslima Akter, promoted from Accounts Keeper (Finance and Revenue Division) to Personal Assistant; Md. Sohel Rana, promoted from Pump and Lift Operator to Office Assistant; Md. Afzal Hossain to Record Keeper; Md. Obaidur Rahman and Md. Hasibul Hasan to Office and Administrative Assistant; Sheikh Iqbal Bahar, Animesh Chakraborty, Palash Chandra Roy, and Shovon Mukharjee to Office Assistant-cum-Computer Operator; and Md. Akkas Ali and Md. Sohan Sardar to Dispatch Rider positions.
Sources said that among 111 officials in Grade 9 and above considered against vacant posts in the categories of Assistant Director, Deputy Director, and Director, 104 were initially listed as eligible on January 3. From this pool, 17 officials were considered for promotion against five vacant posts, including 12 from the technical category.
A meeting was held on February 3 to consider promotions to the Deputy Director post. The promotion committee, led by Member Secretary Kshinar and Vice Chairman Md. Abu Bakar Siddique, included Director General Md. Mehedi Ul-Sahid, Joint Secretary Begum Nur Jahan Khanam from the Finance Division, Joint Secretary Md. Safiul Alam from the Posts and Telecommunications Division, and Joint Secretary M. Raihan Akter from the Ministry of Public Administration. During the meeting, it was opined that officials facing audit objections in their recruitment process should not be promoted. Due to differing views on whether those whose audit issues had been resolved should be considered, the committee recommended promoting the top five officials on the seniority list against the five vacant posts.
Among them, Deputy Director Zian Shah Kabir, currently on study leave, was recommended for promotion. Deputy Director Sabina Islam (Legal and Licensing Division), Deputy Director Md. Delowar Hossain (Administration Division), Deputy Director Md. Raisul Islam (Systems and Services Division), and Deputy Director Dr. Shamsuzzohha (Engineering and Operations Division) were recommended for consideration subject to audit clearance.
Separately, 28 officials were recommended for promotion to five Deputy Director posts — 10 from the general category, 14 from technical, and four from legal. Those included Senior Assistant Director Mohammad Firoz Mia (Engineering and Operations), Md. Abdus Shahid Chowdhury (Finance, Accounts and Revenue), Selina Parveen (Administration), and Md. Aman Ullah and Md. Mahbubur Rahman (Legal).
Another meeting held on February 5 discussed promotions to Senior Assistant Director and Assistant Director positions. A total of 21 officials who completed five years of service and passed required examinations were considered for promotion to Senior Assistant Director, while 17 were discussed for Deputy Assistant Director. The committee unanimously recommended 19 officials for promotion, excluding Md. Shamsul Alam and Md. Kawsar Ahmed from the administration branch. The commission later approved promotions for 25 officials across different posts, including these 19.
According to the office order signed by BTRC Director General Md. Mehedi Ul-Sahid, Mohammad Firoz Mia (Engineering and Innovation Division), Md. Abdus Sahid Chowdhury (Finance, Accounts and Revenue), Selina Parveen (Administration), and Md. Aman Ullah and Md. Mahbubur Rahman (Legal) have been promoted from Assistant Director to Deputy Director. However, except for Firoz Mia, promotion orders for the others were issued on February 10. It was also decided in the commission meeting that Zian Shah Kabir, currently on study leave, will be promoted from Deputy Director to Director upon joining.
In a separate office order issued the same day, promotions from Assistant Director to Senior Assistant Director were approved for several officials, including Shanta Kumar Das (SM Branch), Md. Kamrul Hasan Hiru, Nesar Ahmed, and Md. Akramul Haque (Engineering and Operations), Naznin Sultana (SM Branch), Md. Didarul Islam (E&O), Md. Jahangir Alam (LL Branch), Mahmuda Nasrin and Rakibul Islam (Legal), Yasmin Sultana (SM), Toufiukul Islam (SS), Nadia Islam (Legal), Md. Moshayel Ul Islam (Finance, Accounts and Revenue), Md. Ashrafuzzaman Zahed, Md. Amanat Ali, Tushar Bepari, Sumaiya Rahman, Md. Mintu Prang, and Md. Mehedi Hasan (SM Branch).
Meanwhile, objections have already been raised against the promotions. In a petition addressed to BTRC Chairman Emdad Ul Bari titled “Do Not Promote Illegal Appointees,” allegations were made that nine individuals were ineligible. The cited grounds for ineligibility included having third-division academic results, recruitment without competitive examinations, and concerns regarding certificate standards, among other issues.
DBTech/SH/MI/OR
