As part of the reorganisation of intelligence agencies, the government has decided to amend the recruitment rule of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and abolish the post of deputy assistant director (DAD). The post is considered ‘jinxed’ as the infamous BDR mutiny
was led by Towhid, who was a DAD of the BDR force.Instead of the post of DAD, the authorities have been advised to create the post of assistant director (AD), according to the draft of NSI Recruitment Rule, 1984.
For amending the existing recruitment rule of the NSI, the Secretary Committee on Administrative Improvement Affairs on Tuesday recommended that the rule should be amended by upgrading the posts of AD and Deputy Director (DD) and by abolishing the post of DAD, sources said. A senior official of the Cabinet Division told The Independent that the secretary committee has recommended that two posts be upgraded — DD from the post of AD and joint director from the post of DD. “The salary structures of the posts will also be upgraded,” he said.
He also said the joint director would be appointed through promotion on the basis of selection from DDs, and when no one is found suitable for promotion, he/she would be appointed by transfer on deputation from other services.
He further said that DDs would also be appointed by promotion on the basis of selection from assistant directors or research officers: 25 per cent of the posts of assistant director would be filled up by promotion on the basis of selection from field officers and 75 per cent by direct recruitment.
The officer said the need to strengthen the intelligence agency has been acutely felt in the wake of the BDR mutiny. He added that the mutiny can be attributed to intelligence failure. In 2009, the government had reorganised and strengthened the country’s major intelligence agency, NSI, to make it more efficient.
As per the new organisational set-up of the NSI, there are 2,326 posts, including one director-general, nine directors, nine additional directors, 50 joint directors, 118 deputy directors and 295 assistant directors.
Sources said the NSI authorities were unable to perform in a proper manner due to shortage of manpower and lack of avenues of promotion in some posts.
There are four intelligence agencies in the country: NSI, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Special Branch (SB) and Detective Branch (DB) of police.
According to sources, the government reorganised some intelligence agencies by creating new posts and changing their organisational structures.
After the BDR mutiny, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had directed the intelligence agencies to work in a coordinated manner to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
-With The Independent input
