A prolonged stagnation in promotions within Bangladesh Police is set to ease, with nearly 500 officers from the rank of inspector to additional inspector general expected to receive promotions in phases, according to officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Headquarters.
The process is expected to begin this week and conclude by the second week of November, following meetings of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) and further deliberations on pending cases, officials said. Seniority, professional merit, efficiency and competence are expected to be among the considerations in the promotion process.
Two police officials, holding the ranks of additional deputy inspector general and deputy inspector general and posted at Police Headquarters, told The Daily Sky on Tuesday that a number of officers had been denied timely promotions and desirable postings during the previous Awami League government, allegedly due to political considerations. Some officers, they said, had remained stuck at the same rank for two to four years.
485 officers nearing promotion
According to sources at the ministry and Police Headquarters, the promotion process for 485 officers from the 15th to the 38th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) batches, including inspectors, is nearing finalisation through DPC and Superior Selection Board (SSB) meetings.
During the last Police Week, the Bangladesh Police Service Association raised the issue of delayed promotions with the prime minister and the home minister, seeking action to address the backlog, an association official said.
As part of the proposed promotions, 159 inspectors are expected to be elevated to assistant superintendent of police (ASP) this week, according to the official.
More than 150 ASPs from the 36th, 37th and 38th BCS batches are also expected to be promoted to additional superintendent of police (Addl SP).
In another phase, 95 additional superintendents of police from the 28th, 29th and 30th BCS batches are set to become superintendents of police (SP).
More than 60 SPs from the 22nd and 24th BCS batches are expected to be promoted to additional deputy inspector general (Addl DIG). Of them, two are from the 22nd batch, while the remainder are from the 24th batch, sources said.
Meanwhile, 20 additional DIGs from the 21st, 22nd and 24th BCS batches are expected to be elevated to deputy inspector general (DIG). Two DIGs from the 15th and 17th batches are also in line for promotion to additional inspector general (Addl IGP).
Sources added that officers from the 25th BCS batch would be considered for promotion shortly after those from the 24th batch.
Vetting and final clearance
Officials said the promotion proposals had advanced through the relevant committee process, while officers' service records, Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) and vetting reports from intelligence agencies had been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for scrutiny and necessary clearance.
The completion of the remaining DPC and SSB meetings is expected to pave the way for final decisions, although the proposed promotions remain subject to the required administrative approvals.
The latest move follows earlier efforts to address the promotion backlog. In a notification issued on October 21, 2025, the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs promoted 80 police inspectors to ASP.
The current initiative is expected to bring relief to officers who have been waiting years for career advancement. However, officials said the final outcome would depend on the completion of the selection process and the necessary approvals.