Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
We are passing the very shaky days. Due to COVID-19 the whole world is under dark. This time is very critical and crucial for human kind. The world is being jolted by the alarming affect of novel coronavirus. Human life is at a state now, every day people are dying and living in quarantine both home and institutions. By social distancing inter country relationship is almost off. But social communication like face book, video conferencing are on. So, in a sense we are in a state of detachment from one another. Public transportation, navigation and air flight are off now. These hamper the world economy in their worst way. Though the situation is very rough and critical, people are suffering a lot due to this crisis. Every state and a nation tries utmost to overcome this crisis. In this situation, the coordinated efforts are needed to combat this condition. Comprehensive action plan and integrated combined efforts are very essential to tackle the worst situation. Government offices and different organizations and bodies need to be given the shape of reformative and contingency platform during this crisis and post crisis period. Overhauling the different ministries and department may play a positive and significant role. At present, every direction comes from our honorable Prime Minister. During this emergency, it is mandatory indeed. Despite her strong leadership, the subordinate leaders also can extend their roles and responsibilities in the highest order aiming at a positive target framework. The officials, authorities, executives all must be very alert, responsive and careful about all do’s and don’ts during the crisis hour. In our country, many people are ignorant of health tips. They are not so conscious. So, this is a problem from one side for us. Secondly, during the crisis period the marginal people especially the day laborer like the rickshaw puller and the floating people are in bad condition. They live from hand to mouth and in this situation, it is difficult for them to earn their livelihood. So, they are in tendency to break the lockdown system. In this situation, the executives must handle them very carefully. These people must not be abused and wrongly handled as if it becomes another issue for the society.
Recent steps of inhuman activities towards a journalist by former DC, Kurigram and another cruel action by former AC land, Manirampur, Jashore on three elderly people with their ears raised in publicly incident a lot of criticism for their executive power. The way they exercised it was not expecting to the general people. On the other hand, the people from all walks of life must follow the government health rules and maintain a discipline, well regulated and controlled life. People in no way should defy the existing rules and directives. In the present welfare state, it takes the sole responsibilities for its citizens’ every right and well-being. In the welfare, state people have the similar responsibilities towards the state and state mechanism. In a state, we do not have the sound mechanism. There are lacking in state mechanism and due to that lacking the machineries do not act properly. For proper function, all ministries and offices must come under the umbrella of effective mechanism and co-ordination. Everyone must come under the common directives, control, commitment and responsibilities must be in the line of pro-active and creative thoughts.
By present organogram most of the ministries and departments are not in strong position. In many cases, we see the weak personnel setup; logistic, operational administrative tools are the same in nature. Roles and responsibilities are not well defined. Work division is not précised. Many organogram do not suit to their business manners and job area. In this situation, the weak bureaucratic table may be reorganized, rearranged and rescheduled. The coordinating job in many cased are not well capitulated. So, the reformative steps must be taken where it is necessary. With this initiative, all the ministries and departments may come under the umbrella of coordination. If it is established every ministry will be empowered and inter ministerial relationship will also be strengthened. So far my knowledge goes in many of ministries there are a number of officers but only three or four officers are found visible in their day to day works for the full time and many other sit idle. Under the present structure, one is assigned with a number of duties. On the other hand, other officers pass the time very casually. So, if the areas of works do not diversify, after certain period, it may come to a halt. Under the circumstances the officers fail to satisfy their clients and at the end of days performances turned to very poor state. Ultimately, this blockades the growth and generation. Moreover, there are some ministries and departments where officers and executives are engaged on contract basis after the expiry of their tenure. In some cases, it happen the case of re-contract. What is utility of service extension and re-contract. Off course, it is executed on performance basis or one’s expertise. But, in many cases it has adverse effect on administration. The man who has been given further assignment, ultimately fail to perform as he/she did his/her normal tenure. He/she tries to misuse power, involving irregularities and deviates from the right track. As a result, institutional management is hampered.
From my experiences, I can also share other examples of two departments; one is Bangladesh Cooperative and the other is Bangladesh Ansar VDP. Both the departments belong to Cadre service. After independence of Bangladesh, these two departments were made viable by the instruction of Bangabandhu, the Father of the Nation. Both the departments at that time rose to a momentum by their able leadership. But today the departments are in the backward track. Bangabandhu had a dream to flourish the country through cooperatives and Bangladesh Ansar. Once, these departments had their images in the field of development. But this trend did not last long. It was the leadership problem and bureaucratic complicacies for which both the departments now act as a show piece organization. But the fact is that if organogram is rearranged and reorganized with definite roles and responsibilities they may contribute a lot to the nation. Previously Ansar-VDP did many positive activities during the period of nation’s crisis. Moreover, both these department have their volunteer activists. If they are organized and comprehensive action or contingency plans are taken, nation will be benefited and community people will be saved from damage and disaster.
Before I conclude, I should say by reducing coordination gap among ministries and departments and by taking challenges things may be changed. All government machineries need overhauling and reformation. Administration must be people friendly. Misuse or abuse of power must be dealt followed by punitive and exemplary discipline action. Government machineries must be utilized properly. All ministers need to play the role of leaders and accordingly control his under command. Otherwise, people’s demand will not be fulfilled, citizen’s rights will be ignored, and image of Mujib year will be loosened. So, the tendencies of procrastinating file works and bad intention of bureaucracies must be shun. Finally, we can say that attitudinal changes of high officials and field executives including a comprehensive action plan are the need of the crisis period.
(Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed, writer, columnist and researcher)
