Chairman of the Minimum Wages Board Ikteder Ahmed has opted for voluntary retirement in
protest against his recent posting to the law and order infringing offences prevention tribunal in Khulna.
In a letter to the law secretary seeking voluntary retirement, Ikteder, a judicial officer now on deputation, said that his new posting was disgraceful and inconsistent to his position and painful for him as well, said officials at the law ministry.
‘I, hereby, deicide to retire voluntarily on the verge of my normal retirement under the Public Servants (Retirement) Act 1974,’ said the letter.
He submitted the letter on November 2 through the registrar of the Supreme Court.
Earlier on October 31, in a similar move the rector of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre Md Delwar Hossain sought voluntary retirement, apparently in protest against his posting as chairman of the Land Reforms Board.
On October 28, Ikteder, who joined as a Munsif (assistant judge) at the subordinate court in 1981, appealed to the authorities concerned for reconsidering his transfer just ahead of one and a half years of his normal retirement.
In letters addressed to the minister and state minister for law said that Ikteder’s transfer from the Minimum Wages Board would affect the labour-friendly initiatives of the board.
The reconstituted wages board led by Ikteder Ahmed announced the revised wages for readymade garments workers in July, 2010, which comes into effect from November.
Ikteder, who is supposed to go on leave preparatory to retirement on April 7, 2012, was transferred to Khulna with effect from October 26, 2010.
According to the law, a public servant may opt to retire from service any time after 25 years in service by giving a notice in writing to the appointing authorities at least 30 days before the date of the intended retirement.
BPATC rector Delwar was supposed to go on leave preparatory to retirement on December 19, 2011,
He decided earlier not to join the Land Reforms Board as he reportedly felt insulted for transferring him to the position equivalent to the rank of a joint secretary.
Before assuming the office of the BPATC rector, Delwar had worked as secretary of the land ministry for six months from January 2009.
The government on October 19 transferred Delwar Hossain to the Land Reforms Board as chairman.
