Reshuffle likely in top bureaucracy

Changes at the top of the civil service look certain as the government decided not to extend the contractual appointments of the cabinet and prime minister's principal secretaries, whose job extensions end this month.
This would trigger changes in the top bureaucratic order.
Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz and PM's Principal Secretary Md Abdul Karim had been serving on contract since 2009 after their retirement.
Karim's contract was supposed to expire on September 25 but the government in a rare instance had to extend his contract for only four days as he is at the moment accompanying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her official visit to the USA.
Sources in the Prime Minister's Office told The Daily Star last night that as a result of these two leaving service, reshuffles will also take place in the secretary level. With this possible reshuffle in mind, a number of senior bureaucrats are already busy lobbying for better positions.
Sources said Sheikh Md Wahid uz Zaman, secretary, water resources ministry, Iqbal Mahmood, secretary, public administration ministry and Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, secretary at the Economic Relations Division are lobbying for the cabinet secretary post.
Highly placed sources said the appointment of Wahid uz Zaman as the cabinet secretary is almost certain.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Office Secretary Molla Waheeduzzaman, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder and Jute and Textile Secretary Md Ashraful Moqbul are in the race for PM's principal secretary post, sources said.
Sources say that Molla might replace Karim but PMO sources said Molla will remain in his current position and they are still looking for a new principal secretary.
Sources also say that there would be changes in other crucial positions of the civil service, including the prime minister's private secretary and a few secretaries at the Secretariat. PM's Private Secretary Nazrul Islam Khan might be sent either to a ministry or made the PMO secretary if Molla is appointed the principal secretary.
Joint Secretary of Local Government Division Abdul Malek or Road Division Secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury might be appointed as the PM's private secretary.