Highly placed sources said the government in two notifications gave Ambassador to the Philippines Abul Kashem and High Commissioner to Brunei Hedayetul Islam Chowdhury forced retirement much ahead of their normal retirement time.

It, however, reappointed the two on contractual basis for two years.

Reliable sources within the government told The Daily Star last night that bureaucrats loyal to the ruling BNP suggested the government to send the two ambassadors into forced retirement.

Abul Kashem and Hedayetul Islam had been made envoys as the government refused to promote either one of them as cabinet secretary, the highest post in the civil administration, sources said.

The government gave the post to a junior.

Kashem is due for leave preparatory retirement (LPR) from January 1, 2007 while Hedayet in November 2007.

Sources said the government apprehended that the two bureaucrats might work against the ruling BNP if they were brought back to the country during the caretaker government's tenure.

Talking to The Daily Star, a highly placed bureaucrat on condition of anonymity said the government did serious injustice by not maintaining seniority in appointing the cabinet secretary and committed a vicious crime by removing the two senior secretaries from regular service.