A GOVERNMENT move to collect personal information of Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) has sparked anger and frustration within the local administration. District police have been asked to collect a host of information about the UNOs, including their political affiliations during their student life including if any of their family members or close relatives are involved in politics. However, it’s the timing of the move that has caught our attention – it comes barely six months left to the upcoming general elections. We don’t know what positive impact will it create but if it is meant to neutralise UNOs role in the upcoming polls, the move will not be of much use.
Although public servants are under the public administration Ministry, Cabinet Division is the supervising authority of field-level officials not the police, so we think, the Cabinet Division should have been included in the investigation of UNOs. It’s somewhat hilarious that UNOs political preference during their student years will be taken into account. It would have been more convenient if the police and authorities concerned evaluated the UNOs professional competence, performance and criminal records. Moreover, we fail to understand – why is it a matter of concern what type of political affiliations do their relatives have?
Police verifications of UNOs were done before they were confirmed in service through Bangladesh Public Service Commission. We don’t find any rationale and need for another inquiry after several years of recruitment. There are 490 UNOs in the country. As per a local daily report, most of the current UNOs are from 27th (2007-08) and 28th batches while some are from 29th batch. Normally, officials of administrative cadre are promoted to the post of UNO after six-seven years of service as junior magistrates.
The disturbing truth, however, is that meritocracy political attachment has become an important pre-requisite for joining the civil service. The government’s latest effort to bring all UNOs under scanner is nothing but keeping the civil administration under pressure before the forthcoming general election.
