The exclusion of 267 candidates following the re-verification process of the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination has sparked significant debate. Sarjis Alam, General Secretary of the July Smriti Foundation, addressed the issue in a detailed Facebook post, raising critical concerns about the fairness and transparency of the process.
Sarjis Alam revealed that 168 candidates were disqualified in the second phase of verification, adding to the initial 99 exclusions. These eliminations were reportedly influenced by negative intelligence reports, often citing political affiliations as a key factor. Sarjis criticized this trend, particularly under the Awami League government, highlighting how individuals with political ties outside the ruling party face systemic challenges in securing government jobs.
He strongly opposed the practice of penalizing candidates for the political affiliations of their family members, asserting that employment decisions should be based solely on an individual’s merit and personal record. Sarjis questioned whether it is fair to deny opportunities to candidates based on their family’s political background, especially when personal ideologies often differ across generations.
The verification process itself came under scrutiny. Sarjis Alam criticized intelligence agencies for relying on local political leaders to assess candidates’ affiliations, arguing that such biases could unjustly affect highly qualified individuals. He cited the case of Zakaria, a top-performing candidate who was disqualified despite meeting all merit-based criteria. Sarjis suggested that biases, including those related to appearance or religious practices, might have played a role in such decisions.
Sarjis warned that these practices could erode trust in the recruitment process, discourage talented individuals from pursuing government positions, and lead to brain drain as many seek opportunities abroad. He proposed conducting verification before the preliminary exam to prevent candidates from wasting years only to face rejection later.
In his conclusion, Sarjis Alam urged the authorities to reform the recruitment system, eliminate political biases, and uphold meritocracy. His message serves as a call to action to restore fairness, ensure transparency, and protect the constitutional rights of all citizens.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
