New Delhi: Days before Bangladesh votes in the 12 February general election, the interim government has reinstated and retrospectively promoted more than 130 armed forces officers who were dismissed, forced into retirement or stripped of rank between 2009 and 2024, formally reversing disciplinary measures taken during the previous administration of Sheikh Hasina.
The decision was notified through a Ministry of Defence gazette dated 5 February, implementing the recommendations of a high level committee headed by Lieutenant General Retd Abdul Hafiz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser.
The order states that a number of officers had suffered deprivation, injustice and vengeance in a politically charged climate and provides for restoration of rank, seniority, financial benefits and institutional standing.
The gazette introduces binding changes to intelligence vetting procedures within the services. It bars agencies such as the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence and the National Security Intelligence from assigning political tags to officers solely on the basis of the political affiliations of relatives or associates, unless the officers themselves are engaged in political activity.
It further mandates that any adverse intelligence report affecting promotion or transfer must be disclosed to the officer concerned and that he or she be given an opportunity to respond through a court of inquiry or similar formal mechanism before punitive action is taken.
The order also states that no negative intelligence report can be kept secret from the officer concerned, effectively ending the practice of undisclosed shadow files.
Among the most prominent cases addressed is Brigadier General Abdullahil Aman Azmi, dismissed in 2009 and later subjected to enforced disappearance. He has been retrospectively promoted to Lieutenant General with full retirement benefits effective from the date of his original dismissal. Brigadier General Md Zakir Hasan and Brigadier General Habibur Rahman Rokon Uddin, both dismissed in 2009, have been retrospectively promoted to Major General and Lieutenant General respectively, with restoration of all associated financial benefits for the intervening 16 years.
The order reinstates officers from the 75th BMA Long Course, including Lieutenants Shafayet Ahmed, A H M Ikramuzzaman, Toukir Mahmud Tushar and Abdullah Omar Nasif, restoring their seniority and back pay and treating their years out of service as continuous tenure. It acknowledges the suffering of certain officers and their families and directs the allocation of housing plots in DOHS or the Jolshiri project in seven specified cases, including the widow of Major Md Jahidul Islam and Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Ali Zayed, who had earlier been dismissed and imprisoned.
In the Bangladesh Navy, Commodore M Nasir and Commodore Syed Maksumul Hakim have been retrospectively promoted to Rear Admiral with corresponding retirement benefits.
In the Bangladesh Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Delwar Hossain, who was compulsorily retired in 2009, will have his service record corrected to reflect active duty until 2015, ensuring payment of arrears and pension at the higher rank.
The directive orders immediate restoration of full medical entitlements for all affected officers, including removal from any blacklists at Combined Military Hospitals. It commits the government to pay all arrears, allowances and fringe benefits for the entire period of forced absence, in some cases spanning nearly two decades, treating that time as active service or extended leave for financial purposes.
Officers who were dismissed or retired at the rank of Captain or Major are to be retrospectively promoted to Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel in line with normal career progression, with corresponding pay grade and pension adjustments.
The timing of the notification in the final week of campaigning signals the interim government’s stated intent to reinforce support of the armed forces before a new elected government assumes office.