Online Desk: Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has strongly protested the exclusion of qualified candidates from the final appointment gazette of the 49th BCS (Special) examination, alleging that the move was carried out without citing specific reasons and could pave the way for politicisation of the public administration.

In a joint statement issued on October 1, the organisation’s central president Nurul Islam and Secretary General Sibgatullah alleged that meritorious candidates had been deprived of their constitutional right to government employment through an unjustified and opaque process.

The statement, dated September 30, claimed that even candidates who had secured top positions in the merit list were excluded from the final gazette.

Shibir leaders also referred to allegations circulating on social media that candidates with alleged family or political links to Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), as well as qualified candidates with no political affiliation, had been left out of the gazette.

They, however, did not provide independent documentary evidence in the statement to substantiate these allegations.

“Every eligible citizen has a constitutionally recognised right to seek government employment according to merit and qualification,” the leaders said, arguing that candidates should not be denied employment because of their political views or ideological preferences.

The organisation also raised questions over the verification process used in the recruitment exercise. It demanded that authorities clearly state the specific reasons whenever a candidate is excluded following verification and provide the affected candidate with an opportunity to defend themselves and appeal the decision.

According to the statement, the verification system should be restructured to ensure recruitment based on merit, qualification and transparency.

Shibir further alleged that government offices and institutions were being subjected to political influence and referred to what it described as recommendations for substantial increases in viva voce marks and exclusion of candidates during verification.

The organisation alleged that educational institutions, the judiciary, field administration and the Secretariat were among the areas where political influence was being expanded. These allegations were made by the organisation in its statement and were not independently substantiated in the release.

The Shibir leaders said the July uprising had been aimed, among other things, at ending discrimination and ensuring the fair recognition of merit. They argued that excluding qualified candidates from public service recruitment on political grounds would undermine those objectives.

They demanded the immediate restoration of the employment rights of all qualified candidates who were allegedly excluded unfairly and called for their appointment through a supplementary gazette.

The organisation warned that failure to address the issue could lead students to take to the streets to press for what it described as the rights of merit and justice.

The controversy surrounding the 49th BCS gazette now places renewed focus on transparency in public-service recruitment, particularly on the criteria used during verification and the procedures available to candidates who are excluded from final appointments. A clear explanation from the relevant authorities regarding the reasons for exclusion would be necessary to establish the factual basis of the allegations.