Group of former bureaucrats allegedly out with a mission

A group of former civil bureaucrats have allegedly been communicating with field level government officials, asking them to work for the BNP-led alliance's candidates, and assured them of promotion if the alliance is voted to power.
On condition of anonymity, a number of field level officials including deputy commissioners who are working as returning officers, superintendents of police, and upazila executive officers who are working as assistant returning officers confirmed The Daily Star of receiving phone calls from former bureaucrats.
They said they have been offered promotion and better postings in exchange for favouring the BNP-led alliance's candidates in the December parliamentary elections.
According to them, a former cabinet secretary, a former establishment secretary and two former inspectors general of police have been making phone calls to the field level officials from a particular office Dhaka.
After the 2001 election, many deputy commissioners who worked as returning officers were soon promoted to higher posts. The then government even ignored rules to promote a few joint secretaries and additional secretaries to secretary.
One bureaucrat, who is now working for the BNP, was deputy commissioner at the time of the 2001 election. He was made the secretary to a vital ministry. He retired from service during the current caretaker government's rule.