THE increasing levels of politicisation have hampered the efficiency and capacity building of the civil bureaucracy. The practice of patronage and distribution of favours created sharp divisions in the bureaucracy and lowered the morale of the career civil servants. As a consequence, the bureaucracy lost much of its dynamism and accountability and merit based public administration became a casualty. Oblivious of its commitment to develop a ‘merit-based administration’ free from partisan political influence, the incumbent government only looks for loyal officers for good postings and promotions, reports a national daily. A former Cabinet Secretary said that the administration has been more politicized than ever before, affecting its quality. In the process, the bureaucracy has been corrupted to the bone.
The mindless politicisation has already grasped almost every sector of the state, including the constitutional organisations mandated to maintain neutrality like the judiciary, bureaucracy, election commission, public service commission, anti corruption commission, and the media — the fourth pillar of state and others in uniforms as well. By enjoying a majority in the legislative body, the government has thus been empowered to do everything, in utter contradiction to the fundamental principles of the Constitution or morality, binning people’s aspirations. From the very inception of the state, politicisation of the civil service has been haunting the nation most. Such a politicised civil service is pulling back the development of the country. From recruitment to retirement, liability and responsibility, obedience and avidness, promotion and punishment, and award everything in the civil bureaucracy is now subject to conditional obedience to the ruling party, not ethics or morality.
The civil bureaucracy is in a disarrayed situation as the government failed to bring any positive dynamism in the management system of the state affairs’ aiming to upgrade and neutralise the bureaucracy. The promised law to make examinations mandatory for giving promotions of civil servants is at stake as the government is largely dependent on the bureaucracy instead of people’s confidence. The report said that due to groupings about 300 senior assistant secretaries have been kept in the same position for years, though their promotions were recommended by the superior selection board a year back. Field-level officers who performed election duties on January 5 have been mounting pressure to get promotions in exchange of their extra-loyalty. The civil bureaucracy has been sharply divided on partisan lines. And those who do not enjoy the ruling party blessings are spoiling their lives as OSDs. Some 500 are now OSDs.
Government servants have the constitutional protection to serve in public interest. If they prefer to be servants of anybody and everybody but the servants of the republic then it is most unfortunate for a free country. They are educated people so they must know how to maintain the honour of their responsible position our people gave them. If with the independence of Bangladesh the government servants do not change the government will not be that of the people. The people will be betrayed.
The mindless politicisation has already grasped almost every sector of the state, including the constitutional organisations mandated to maintain neutrality like the judiciary, bureaucracy, election commission, public service commission, anti corruption commission, and the media — the fourth pillar of state and others in uniforms as well. By enjoying a majority in the legislative body, the government has thus been empowered to do everything, in utter contradiction to the fundamental principles of the Constitution or morality, binning people’s aspirations. From the very inception of the state, politicisation of the civil service has been haunting the nation most. Such a politicised civil service is pulling back the development of the country. From recruitment to retirement, liability and responsibility, obedience and avidness, promotion and punishment, and award everything in the civil bureaucracy is now subject to conditional obedience to the ruling party, not ethics or morality.
The civil bureaucracy is in a disarrayed situation as the government failed to bring any positive dynamism in the management system of the state affairs’ aiming to upgrade and neutralise the bureaucracy. The promised law to make examinations mandatory for giving promotions of civil servants is at stake as the government is largely dependent on the bureaucracy instead of people’s confidence. The report said that due to groupings about 300 senior assistant secretaries have been kept in the same position for years, though their promotions were recommended by the superior selection board a year back. Field-level officers who performed election duties on January 5 have been mounting pressure to get promotions in exchange of their extra-loyalty. The civil bureaucracy has been sharply divided on partisan lines. And those who do not enjoy the ruling party blessings are spoiling their lives as OSDs. Some 500 are now OSDs.
Government servants have the constitutional protection to serve in public interest. If they prefer to be servants of anybody and everybody but the servants of the republic then it is most unfortunate for a free country. They are educated people so they must know how to maintain the honour of their responsible position our people gave them. If with the independence of Bangladesh the government servants do not change the government will not be that of the people. The people will be betrayed.
