NEWSPAPERS have reported that some officials are found busy trying to get ‘blessings of policymakers’ in the civil bureaucracy as the government has initiated a fresh move to give promotions to all levels from the rank of Deputy Secretary to Secretary. Civil Administration officials were quoted saying that aspirants crowd the offices of the Cabinet secretary and public administration secretary, among others, to remind them of their situations and also keep contacts with senior officials at the Prime Minister’s Office apparently to get their favour in the scrutiny process.
Reports also add that the government has also begun reviewing the promotion of several hundred senior assistant secretaries to deputy secretary, which had been kept on hold for a year in fear of adverse implications with an intense pressure from within the civil bureaucracy for a review of the process. Interestingly, data show that there are already over 1,287 deputy secretaries against 830 approved posts as set out in the formal structure of the administration. In addition, there are around 896 joint secretaries against 350 sanctioned posts and 267 additional secretaries against 120 approved posts, according to official records updated on November 30. The government in its previous term gave promotions to all levels on several occasions much beyond the approved structure in the civil service. To add to persisting irregularities, many officials were either made officers on special duty or kept in-situ as there were no vacant positions for them. News reports also showed that many aspirants including field officials known as loyalists to the Awami League-led government have begun lobbying the policymakers for promotions and better postings in the wake of the latest move for massive promotions in the administration. Many officials alleged that many efficient officials were earlier deprived of promotions to the higher levels on political considerations.
The current scenario depicts nothing but another chapter in our partisan government’s way of promoting officers who are politically connected to or inclined to the government. In an ideal society, civil servants should be neutral members of the governing institution of a country, but due to extreme levels of corruption and pressure from politically inclined officials, the government seems to be only interested to promote or support officials who were there in ‘their time of need’.
The civil administration promotion process should be transparent and worthy candidates who have been awaiting promotion should be considered for promotions instead of the ruling party lobbyists. We strongly hold the view that government should not demoralise the bureaucracy further giving promotion in an unethical process because that will paint the bureaucracy itself as an unworthy apparatus of public administration.
Reports also add that the government has also begun reviewing the promotion of several hundred senior assistant secretaries to deputy secretary, which had been kept on hold for a year in fear of adverse implications with an intense pressure from within the civil bureaucracy for a review of the process. Interestingly, data show that there are already over 1,287 deputy secretaries against 830 approved posts as set out in the formal structure of the administration. In addition, there are around 896 joint secretaries against 350 sanctioned posts and 267 additional secretaries against 120 approved posts, according to official records updated on November 30. The government in its previous term gave promotions to all levels on several occasions much beyond the approved structure in the civil service. To add to persisting irregularities, many officials were either made officers on special duty or kept in-situ as there were no vacant positions for them. News reports also showed that many aspirants including field officials known as loyalists to the Awami League-led government have begun lobbying the policymakers for promotions and better postings in the wake of the latest move for massive promotions in the administration. Many officials alleged that many efficient officials were earlier deprived of promotions to the higher levels on political considerations.
The current scenario depicts nothing but another chapter in our partisan government’s way of promoting officers who are politically connected to or inclined to the government. In an ideal society, civil servants should be neutral members of the governing institution of a country, but due to extreme levels of corruption and pressure from politically inclined officials, the government seems to be only interested to promote or support officials who were there in ‘their time of need’.
The civil administration promotion process should be transparent and worthy candidates who have been awaiting promotion should be considered for promotions instead of the ruling party lobbyists. We strongly hold the view that government should not demoralise the bureaucracy further giving promotion in an unethical process because that will paint the bureaucracy itself as an unworthy apparatus of public administration.
