‘Sub-registrars transfer by lottery to dismantle syndicates’

Law minister Md Asaduzzaman inaugurates the lottery-based transfer process for sub-registrars at the secretariat on Tuesday.

He made the remarks at the Secretariat while inaugurating the lottery-based transfer process for sub-registrars.

‘We cannot change everything overnight from a negative situation. We do not claim that, nor is it possible. We have to start somewhere. In this initial process, postings in Dhaka city are considered the most sought-after,’ the minister said.

Law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Md Asaduzzaman on Tuesday said that the government had initiated the lottery-based transfer of sub-registrars to break syndicates that had developed in offices perceived by the public as hubs of corruption.

He said all sub-registrar posts in Dhaka were categorised as ‘A’ posts.

Of the 131 ‘A’ category sub-registrars across the country, 18 were selected through a lottery for postings in Dhaka. Their skills will subsequently be assessed before they are assigned to different areas based on workload and their ability to handle pressure, Asaduzzaman said.

‘Workload varies across different areas of Dhaka. After interviewing them, we will post officials according to how much workload they can handle,’ he said.

The minister said officials could not simply be assigned to different Dhaka posts through a lottery as that could create problems in their work. Their skills and the workload of individual areas would therefore be considered before finalising their postings.

He said the lottery-based transfer process would continue in the future and that sought-after postings would be filled on a rotational basis.

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‘The places that are considered to be where corruption takes root in the department will be given through rotation,’ he said.

Asked whether the initiative would help reduce corruption, Asaduzzaman said, ‘Certainly. We hope so. We are optimistic.’

He said that changing public perceptions was not solely the responsibility of the law ministry and that the media also had a role to play.

According to the minister, 372 sub-registrars are currently working across the country, while 139 posts are vacant. Recruitment to the vacant posts is being carried out through the Public Service Commission.

Regarding the tenure of officials selected for Dhaka postings, Asaduzzaman said that they would serve according to the service rules. Although the general provision allows an official to remain in a posting for two years, he said an official involved in corruption would not be retained.

The minister said that his ministry would monitor allegations of corruption against sub-registrars and urged the media to provide specific information and evidence regarding such allegations.

He also said his ministry had received allegations that some journalists had sought money and regular payments from sub-registrars.

‘If there are specific allegations and evidence, action will be taken against whoever is found responsible, whether a journalist or a sub-registrar,’ he said.

Asaduzzaman said that his ministry had taken media reports of corruption involving sub-registrars seriously and had sought explanations and conducted investigations into the allegations.

However, he said none of the allegations could be conclusively established so far because of a lack of specific evidence.