The government has amended the public service law through an ordinance that enables authorities to take disciplinary action against government employees within a shortened timeframe, marking a major shift in the way administrative discipline is maintained within the civil service.
Titled the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, the new legal measure was issued by presidential order and gazetted on Sunday. It introduces a fast-track mechanism under which disciplinary action can be taken against public servants without following the previously mandatory departmental inquiry procedures.
According to the ordinance, if a government employee is found guilty of certain predefined misconducts, the concerned appointing authority can initiate a process that concludes in as little as 14 working days. The process starts with a show-cause notice that must be issued within seven working days of the alleged act. If the accused fails to respond within the specified time or provides an unsatisfactory explanation, a second notice is issued. The final decision on punitive measures—including suspension, demotion, or dismissal—must then be taken within the next seven working days.
The ordinance specifies five categories of misconduct that fall under this expedited process. These include: absence from work without prior permission or valid reason, inciting others to be absent, obstructing other officials from carrying out duties, disobeying lawful instructions, and attempting to disrupt administrative discipline.
Previously, such actions would trigger a longer process involving departmental investigations, inquiries, and hearings. The amendment allows the appointing authority to bypass these steps for the listed offences, although the standard procedures remain applicable for other types of disciplinary cases.
The move is part of a broader administrative reform effort. Officials say the aim is to reduce procedural delays and ensure swift action in cases where service delivery or institutional operations are directly affected by employee misconduct.
The 2025 ordinance builds upon the Public Service (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was passed by Parliament last year. That bill introduced significant changes, including a new requirement for prior financial clearance from the Finance Division for all major expenditures by autonomous, statutory, and local government bodies.
Under the 2023 amendment, institutions such as public universities, city corporations, municipalities, union parishads, and even constitutional bodies like the Election Commission must now seek financial approval before executing any spending decisions. This measure aims to bring more financial discipline and oversight to government-funded institutions.
The same bill also added a clause requiring prior government approval before courts accept chargesheets against public servants for actions undertaken during the course of official duty. This applies to employees serving in ministries, statutory bodies, state-owned enterprises, and local government agencies. Courts will no longer be able to accept such chargesheets without written consent from the relevant appointing authority, effectively introducing an administrative filter for legal proceedings involving official duties.
In a related development, the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Ordinance, 1977, was repealed last year and replaced with the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Act, 2023. The new act revises the functions, powers, and responsibilities of the BPSC, which is tasked with recruiting for various civil service posts. It also formalizes the commission’s role in providing advice on disciplinary matters, recruitment rules, and examination policies.
The Ministry of Public Administration is now preparing implementation guidelines to support enforcement of the 2025 ordinance. Officials have indicated that circulars will be issued shortly to all ministries and departments, outlining how to apply the fast-track disciplinary measures. Training sessions and clarification meetings are also expected in the coming weeks.
With these successive amendments, the country’s public service management system has undergone a notable transformation, reflecting the government’s stated intention to modernize the civil administration and increase accountability across all levels of service.
