Recruitment for 100,000 Temporary Government Posts Stalls Over Legal Complications

Recruitment to around 100,000 temporary posts in grades 16 to 20 across various government offices has stalled due to legal complications following amendments to the outsourcing policy. Ministries and divisions have been unable to recruit workers because of uncertainty over the applicable procedures, raising concerns about shortages of essential service staff at hospitals, government offices and official residences.

The delay has disrupted workforce recruitment plans and created uncertainty over the availability of essential services for the public.

According to relevant sources, recruitment proposals for various service workers, including hospital sweepers, laboratory assistants and trolley operators, remain pending. Around 20,000 service workers are proposed for recruitment at institutions under the Ministry of Health, while the Public Works Department plans to recruit around 5,000 workers for government residences and offices.

Similar problems have emerged in the railway, social welfare and agriculture sectors, as well as in other ministries.

The issue arose following amendments to the Policy on Procurement of Services through Outsourcing, 2025. The Finance Ministry issued the revised policy on September 21, allowing government agencies to obtain outsourced services directly from individuals instead of relying solely on private service providers.

The revised policy also allows ministries, divisions and departments to recruit workers directly. They may also recruit through the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Company (IIFC), a specialised institution approved by the Finance Division.

However, although the revised policy permits services to be obtained directly from individuals, the government procurement law and rules do not contain clear provisions for such arrangements. The Public Procurement Rules (PPR) also lack specific guidance on direct temporary recruitment for grades 16 to 20.

As a result, recruitment through private service providers has been halted, while direct recruitment has also run into legal complications.

Officials and others involved in the sector have expressed concern over the lack of clarity in the revised policy. They said it does not specify how to proceed with tenders already underway to recruit workers through service-providing companies.

Several ministries have written to the Finance Ministry seeking clarification on the matter.

Asib Ahsan, joint secretary of the Health Education and Family Welfare Division, told the media that his division had sought guidance from the Finance Ministry on how to handle ongoing tenders.

He said the division planned to recruit several thousand daily-wage service workers, but the appointments could not proceed because the policy remained unclear.

Finance Division moves to amend procurement rules

The Finance Division has taken steps to resolve the legal complications by initiating amendments to the government procurement law and rules.

In a letter sent to the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA) on September 21, the Finance Division requested the authority to take the necessary measures to implement the revised outsourcing policy.

The letter said the policy had been amended to accelerate government operations, ensure services within the shortest possible time, strengthen transparency and accountability, reduce public expenditure and ensure the procurement of quality services.

It noted that although the Public Procurement Act, 2006, and the Public Procurement Rules, 2025, recognise outsourcing as a physical service, they do not include provisions for obtaining such services directly from individuals.

The Finance Division therefore asked the BPPA to initiate the necessary amendments to the law and rules.

In response, the BPPA reviewed the issue and sent a letter to the Finance Ministry on October 14, outlining its observations.

The authority said one of the key objectives of introducing outsourcing had been to prevent direct contractual relationships between government offices and service workers. Another objective was to avoid potential financial and administrative complications arising from future demands to absorb outsourced workers into the government revenue-funded payroll.

According to the BPPA's assessment, under the existing system, the procuring authority signs a contract with a service provider selected through a competitive process. The workers then serve at government offices as employees of that company.

However, allowing government agencies to contract directly with individuals could fundamentally alter the outsourcing framework, the authority said. This could also revive the financial and administrative complications that the existing system was designed to avoid.