Why make OSDs?
Byron's last page report in your January 7th issue defines OSDs as those who are officially called as Officers on Special Duty, which many jokingly refer to as 'Officers Searching a Desk'! However, there is contradiction in the report. In the first paragraph, it is stated that OSDs "are considered to be in a state of punishment"! This naturally pre-supposes that some fault or mistake has been committed by the officer. In contrast, in the eighth paragraph, officials from the public administration say that "civil servants are made OSDs mainly for two reasons - they get promoted but are not given any posting and for political reasons"! It adds that "these officers get full pay and all fringe benefits, including official vehicles where due." This therefore precludes any state of punishment! Although no statistics are available, it is estimated that the government spends several crore taka a month on OSDs! Assuming that it is ten crore taka a month, it comes to hundred and twenty crore taka every year, spent for "no work with all pay"! In contrast, low paid workers in the production sector work on "no work no pay basis"! Is it not a gross injustice? If OSDs are being made as a measure of punishment, then government should consider reducing their earned leave by half the number of days they are posted as OSDs. This can be adjusted against their usually large accumulated leave during payment of final dues at the time of retirement. That will have at least some monetary effect of the punitive measure taken.
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