The number of female officials in the civil administration, especially on the field, is increasing steadily, giving a big boost to women’s empowerment.
At present, 1,138 women—20.57 per cent of the total 5,530—are working as Class-I Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) officers, said sources in the public administration ministry. Only about five years ago, this figure was less than 8 per cent, the sources added.
Seven women are working in as many ministries and divisions as secretaries—the topmost post in the civil administration.
For the first time, a woman, Suraiya Begum, is working as a secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The other female secretaries are Nasima Begum, women and children affairs secretary, Kaniz Fatema, director general (DG) of the Academy of Planning and Development, Mushfeka Ikfat, chairman of the Tariff Commission, Begum Shamsun Nahar, expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment secretary, Aktari Mamtaz, cultural affairs secretary, and Zuena Aziz, a member of the Planning Commission.
There are also 57 female additional secretaries, 100 female joint secretaries, 189 female deputy secretaries, 348 female senior assistant secretaries, and 438 female assistant secretaries.
Out of the 64 deputy commissioner (DC) posts in field administration, nine are occupied by women. At least 63 women are working as upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs). The public administration ministry has selected another seven deputy secretaries to be posted as DCs in the districts. Umme Salma Tanjia, a deputy secretary of the home ministry, was posted as DC of Faridpur recently.
Tanjia told The Independent that her dream was to become a DC and that she had succeeded in fulfilling her dream. “I will always enjoy my duty as DC, and I will prove that female officials are well capable of performing their duties,” she said.
Like female officials, bureaucrat couples are increasing in number, too. At present, there are one secretary couple and two DC couples in the bureaucracy. The secretary couple is post and telecommunications secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, and women and children affairs secretary Nasima Begum.
Tanjia is one half of a DC couple. Her husband Mohammad Mukhlesur Rahman is the DC of Gopalganj district. The other couple is Noakhali DC Badre Munir Firdause, and Habiganj DC Sabina Alam.
Not only in the civil bureaucracy, the number of female officials recruited in important posts of the law enforcement agencies and the armed forces increased significantly as well.  At present, a total of 16,69,987 men and women serve the Government of Bangladesh in different capacities.