Allegations have found that several junior officials at the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) have been promoted and appointed to key positions, bypassing seniority and without following proper procedures. This has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among employees and raised concerns about internal discipline.
According to sources, several junior officials were promoted without any formal process, ignoring senior and experienced staff members who have been serving the organization for years. Many of these sidelined employees are reportedly disheartened and frustrated.
A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We’ve been fulfilling our duties for years. Suddenly, a few juniors were placed above us without following proper rules. This is a clear violation of recruitment and promotion regulations.”
When contacted, multiple CDA officials declined to comment on the matter.
Interestingly, the promotion letters cite the 435th board meeting of CDA as the basis for the decisions. However, multiple reliable sources confirm that the actual board meeting had decided to suspend those specific promotions, pending further review and necessary amendments. Despite this, the promotions were executed, sparking criticism within the CDA offices.
On January 16, CDA Secretary Rabindra Chakma issued letters promoting Mohammad Moin Uddin and Shahin Akhter—both serving as acting Section Officers—to full Section Officer positions. The letters referenced recommendations from the recruitment and promotion committee and cited the 435th board meeting's decision. It was also stated that the promotions had been approved by the CDA Chairman.
However, the actual decision of the 435th board meeting indicates otherwise.
The meeting resolution detailed that recommendations for promotions from four departments—Engineering, Administration, Planning, and Accounts—were accepted with specific revisions. Only five individuals were approved for promotion to Section Officer (Branch Head), including stenographers Zamir Uddin, Ashraf Khatun, and Nurul Kabir, and Upper Division Assistants Zakir Hossain and Subir Barua.
Moreover, due to ambiguity in seniority, pay grade, and feeder post qualifications, the board decided to suspend the promotion of Mohammad Moin Uddin, Shahin Akhter, Sunit Bhattacharjee, and caretaker Md. Alamgir.
Irregularities in the Selection Committee’s Recommendations
The CDA Selection Committee’s recommendations appear to violate the organization's own rules. According to the CDA Service Regulations (1990), the feeder positions for Section Officer include Upper Division Assistant, Supervisor, or Stenographer. An individual must have at least five years of experience in these roles and hold a bachelor's degree to be eligible for promotion.
However, sources allege that the committee excluded more qualified candidates without explanation. For example, a master's degree holder who joined as a supervisor in 2004 was not included in the list. Despite 21 years of service, he was overlooked for promotion. Similarly, senior-most staff member Md. Nasir Khan’s name was also missing, although he continues to serve as acting Section Officer.
When asked, newly promoted officials Shahin Akhter and Md. Moin Uddin stated, “We have been entrusted with these responsibilities by the authorities. Legal aspects of the promotions are not in our hands.” They also claimed that their promotions were approved in the board meeting and that they have been serving in acting roles since 2020 and 2021 respectively.
However, other sources confirmed that Md. Nasir Khan, the most senior official eligible for the post, still holds the acting position without official promotion.
This entire promotion process has sparked unrest among CDA staff. Several employees, requesting anonymity, alleged that former chairman Abdus Salam and his board members manipulated the committee to favor certain juniors. They claim the current chairman is following the same path.
“The promotion letters citing board approval are misleading and contradict the actual decisions made. We expect the authorities to review the matter lawfully,” said one employee.
In response, CDA Secretary and signatory of the promotion letters, Rabindra Chakma, said:
“We have not engaged in any irregularities. We simply implemented the board’s decisions.”
