Gazette for 46 left-out BCS candidates likely Monday, no political bias: Home minister

The appointment gazette for 46 candidates left out of the 49th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) education cadre may be issued on Monday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said yesterday.

"No candidate will face discrimination based on political affiliation or identity," he said at an emergency press conference, adding that the prescribed scrutiny and police verification procedures will be followed before appointments are finalised.

The Appointment Branch of the Ministry of Public Administration on Wednesday published the gazette for the 49th BCS (Special) Examination-2025, appointing 611 candidates to the Bangladesh Civil Service (General Education) cadre while leaving out 57 names from the list of 668 candidates previously recommended by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

According to the home minister, of the 57 candidates omitted from the initial notification, the actual figure drops to 46 when accounting for three who failed to submit certificates and eight who missed the medical exam.

The Home Minister said verification before appointment was a routine process carried out under regulations during every government's tenure and should not be linked to political identity.

"We have made a commitment, waged a movement, and organised a mass uprising to establish a discrimination-free state system and social order. Whatever one's political identity may be, no discrimination will be created due to it in these examinations or in any other field," he said.

He said omission from a subsequent appointment list after appearing in an initial notification did not amount to cancellation of an appointment, as appointment notifications could be issued more than once.

The minister referred to a social media post in which an individual threatened suicide or self-immolation after their name, which had appeared in the initial notification, was left out of the subsequent list following verification.

Salahuddin said he did not wish to publicly comment on the person's political identity but said the individual was an office-bearer of a banned student organisation at a Dhaka University hall.

"Due to his political alignment, he assumed that he was no longer being offered the job appointment. I am declaring now, as I have stated before – no discrimination will be created against anyone on account of political identity," he said.

However, the minister said candidates could be excluded if serious criminal charges emerged during police verification.

He said complications could arise if someone faced serious criminal charges or had been convicted by a court, until the relevant legal process was concluded.

"I would request them to exercise patience," he said.

Salahuddin said candidates who did not receive appointment letters due to verification would have an opportunity to lodge a complaint or application with the relevant ministry.

He said candidates facing delays over serious allegations could seek an investigation, although that stage had not yet been reached.

The minister also urged people not to spread misinformation on social media or create unrest at universities.

"There is no reason to create frenzy in universities with all these rumours or misinformation. Our innocent students should not be agitated to create political instability," he said.

The home minister said the process concerning the 46 candidates omitted from the special education cadre was nearly complete.

He said Monday had been set as the date for issuing the notification, although some administrative procedures, including the president's signature on the file, still needed to be completed.

"The vetting and scrutiny process is virtually complete. I am speaking with the public administration minister, secretary, and also with the cabinet secretary. They are working, even working on Saturday, a public holiday, to conclude the process," he said.

He urged the candidates to remain patient, saying further steps would be taken once the prescribed procedures were completed.