Md. Bayazid Khan :
Ensuring corruption free and complicacy free services in both public and private sectors is pre-requisite to rapid and sustainable development of a country subject to prevailing harmonious and development friendly political environment. In spite of facing various hindrances Bangladesh achieved envious development in education, health, communication, ICT and trade & commerce in the last few years. Bangladesh enabled to achieve recognition from the world community as developing rapidly in economic indicators removing its’ criticism of bottomless basket. Bangladesh has set an example in achieving international targets and commitments quickly in the areas of MDG, HDI etc despite facing political instability with other avoidable barriers. World community amazed to see combined hardworking efforts of the people of the country for achieving significant development. People of the country can never deny the positive involvement of officials in public and private sectors behind this achievement besides politicians’ direct supervision, directions and contribution. But visible progress of the country could happen more early as well as enormously if timely, complicacy free and development friendly services could be ensured in public sectors as public sectors are the premier machineries of government to implement its’ development policies. Now- a- days government officials in public sectors are working beyond schedule office timetable facing risks and uncertainty for proper implementation of government policies. Despite working hard they are accusing of insincerity in services, corruption and misuse of government resources. Because of the allegation against some government officials people forget their hard working contribution in the journey of achieving rapid economic development of the country. Nobody can blame all the government officials for their involvement with these types of unethical activities. On the other hand there is no scope of proving false the belief of people about indulging unethical activities of some government officials in government services. People undoubtedly believe that economic development could have been achieved more early and rapidly if machineries in public sectors could run sincerely with corruption-free environment. People also firmly believe that tangible and continuous economic progress could happen by avoiding immoral activities and misuses of public resources by the government officials.
The burning question is that- why some of the public sectors officials are involved with unethical activities. So we have to go deep to find out roots behind involvement of government officials into unethical activities in government services despite their remarkable contribution in the process of developing Bangladesh. People mostly involve themselves with corruption just to ensure safe and sound future of the family members. This includes modern education facilities to the sons and daughters suitable for competitive world, quality medical facilities in case of diseases by family members and ensuring housing facilities. Public sectors officials can never fulfill these basic demands with the poor salary structure and other existing monetary benefits. It may be mentioned that government service holders will get pension after retiring job. But to provide desired better education to the children and medical facilities to the family members, government officials need money in the early stage of their service time. They also need money early to ensure housing facilities for their family members. What will be the importance of money getting after retirement from service when all their hopes and aspirations shattered? Besides this public sector officials get insufficient supports which may induce some of them to involve with immoral activities.
It is inevitable for the government to remove all hindrances to ensure honesty, accountability and transparency with a view to ensure justified service friendly atmosphere in public sectors. So government officials should be brought under strong monitoring system for preventing them from indulging with unethical activities. Besides this exemplary punitive measures should be taken rapidly in case of occurrences of immoral activities done by government officials. Before this they have to be ensured some basic opportunities that encourage them keeping away from involving immoral practices. Government may think about the following steps to be taken to ensure corruption free and complicacy free services in public sectors.
Salary and allowances of officials in public sectors should be rational, realistic and sufficient for running smoothly a family consisting of six members maintaining required social status. There may be the permanent pay commission to determine justified salary structure comparing neighbour countries’ salary structure and considering current inflation rate of the country. Discrimination might dispel in case of fixing up salary of officers and staffs considering same prices of commodities for both. Uniformity should be maintained in case of providing monetary benefits (selection grade, senior scale, time scale etc) to all officers and staffs irrespective of cadre and non-cadre departments.
Interior working places like hill and low lying areas (haor) may become attractive to the employees by giving extra lucrative allowances and benefits.
Officers as well as staffs in public sectors should be brought under smooth process of getting timely promotion and other monetary facilities and domestic and foreign training removing all sorts of discrimination, complications and politicisation.
Politicisation for providing promotion, transfer, posting and all types of benefits to government employees should be removed. Patronisation of professional organisations in public sectors by political parties be prohibited by making law in the Parliament. Rather professional organisations should run without direct or indirect political bias and support.
After certain period officials in public sectors may be asked some options of working places for transfer. It definitely inspires them to work sincerely. If possible they may be transfered adjacent to their permanent/present residence. This may be reduce corruption and other immoral practices because of fearing to loose traditional family and social prestige and status.
There may be the provision for government officials to stay with family at working places providing all sorts of facilities for suitable existence just to get highest returns as services from them. To encourage government officials’ for working and staying with families outside Dhaka and metropolitan cities they should be paid more as house rents and other allowances than service holders of metropolitan cities.
Officers and staffs in public sectors may be provided rational logistic supports.
Government offices might be given allotment of required money to bear expenses as contingencies, fuel costs etc to prevent government officials from taking extra money from clients as donations or purposes for meeting additional expenses.
There may be provision for public sectors officials getting actual amount of loan at marginal interest rate for making house/buying plot and flat as well as for meeting expenses of ensuring quality education and medical facilities to family members. Strong punitive actions should be taken in case of receiving loans for false purpose or more amount than actual expenses.
Government might remove all sorts of complicacies, harassment and corruption in case of submitting and approving bills at accounts offices. One stop service be introduced both in accounts offices and concerned banks for getting all monetary benefits by government officials.
Head offices of Directorates/Departments may be shifted to the divisional towns or districts adjacent to Dhaka to inspire government officials to stay outside Dhaka. To make the plan a success government needs to ensure quality education and medical facilities to these towns.
Government should show zero tolerance in taking rapid punitive actions against government officials for misusing government money, resources and vehicles.
Strong monitoring system may be applied to ensure proper utilisation of office timetable by government officials.
Corruption happens if service receivers come in touch with the service providers. Therefore procedures of providing services at public offices may be digitalised just to keep service receivers away from service providers.
There may be the provision of disclosing publicly longevity or lifetime of completed development works to ensure accountability and quality.
There may be the arrangements of regular motivational training for government officials to inspire them for becoming only service provider and not becoming administrator.
ACR may be written stressing more importance on employees’ honesty, dedication and contribution to work, departmental knowledge and dealings with clients.
