Despite assurances from the environment, forest and climate change adviser and directives from the law ministry, field-level forest officers have been deprived of promotion.
Forest officers allege that seniority is not being followed properly, depriving senior officers of promotion while junior officers are given promotion.
After August 5, 2024, they said, the environment, forest and climate change adviser took steps to resolve long-standing complexities surrounding the promotion of field-level forest guards and foresters.
Taking advantage of such steps, a group of officials and field-level employees allegedly engaged in corruption involving millions of taka, ultimately depriving field-level employees of promotion.
Two forest officials from Khulna said that in September, 554 foresters were promoted to the post of deputy ranger. Earlier, the authority concerned gave an opinion stating that promotions should follow the principle of equality—based on the date of joining the revenue sector—for all eligible foresters, including those not party to ongoing cases but listed in the same seniority roster.
Ignoring this opinion, foresters who joined service in the 1980s were bypassed, while those who joined as late as 2014 were promoted. As a result, foresters with 25 to 30 years of service were deprived of promotion. It is alleged that some officials secured promotions through bribery, disregarding established policies and eligibility criteria, benefiting junior employees at the expense of seniors.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a forest official said irregularities also occurred in promotions to the deputy ranger post. According to policy, a gradation list must be published before promotions are finalised. However, promotions were given without publishing any such list, plunging deprived employees into despair.
As per the promotion list, deputy rangers who joined service in the 1980s were ranked junior to those who joined in 2014, causing widespread resentment. Some affected deputy rangers have already sought legal remedies by filing cases with the courts.
A forest official from Chattogram alleged that individuals facing corruption charges were promoted in exchange for money, despite clear rules barring such promotions.
An employee, whose service was regularised in 2018 and whose name did not appear in the 2016 list due to dismissal from service, was reportedly placed ahead of regularly appointed 2016 foresters through undue influence, he claimed, saying that another employee who joined a project on April 15, 1998 had his service regularised in 2005, and whose project ended in 2006—was also given promotion.
The official questioned why forest guards with 35 years of service are still denied promotion despite the absence of any court injunction, while foresters are receiving two promotions within four months. This disparity has led to growing frustration among field-level forest guards.
He also alleged that following promotions to the deputy ranger post, the process of promoting officials to forest ranger is now underway. Money is allegedly being collected from field-level staff in exchange for promised promotions.
The officials demanded that before any promotion from deputy ranger to forest ranger, the Forest Department must publish the gradation list of eligible candidates on its official website.
When contacted, Chief Conservator of Forests Munir Hossain told Dhaka Tribune that a five-member committee prepared the list of eligible candidates for promotion. “I am not part of this committee,” he said.
“The committee prepared the list and put forward the recommendations to the Public Service Commission after considering legal procedures, ministerial opinions, and ongoing cases. The PSC will make the final decision. The committee prioritised eligibility in preparing the list, and I do not believe there is any scope for controversy.”
