Bureaucracy reform move goes into hibernation

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The caretaker government’s move to infuse dynamism, accountability and transparency into the public administration has hardly seen any progress since the initiative was taken a year ago.

This has frustrated many including a few civil bureaucrats who have been in favour of reforms in the civil administration. They said like many other initiatives this may also end up in rhetoric.

Formed in July last year with an objective of giving concrete directives for reforms in the administration and guidelines for posting and transfer, the chief adviser-led cabinet committee on administrative reforms and good governance has so far managed to hold just one meeting.

As the government is presently busy with holding dialogues with political parties and the upcoming local government and parliamentary elections, chances are slim that another meeting would be held in near future.

“I am not yet informed about another meeting of the committee,” an adviser and a member of the committee told The Daily Star last week.

In December last year, the establishment ministry drafted a civil service ordinance and policies for promotion, transfer and career planning for public servants and strengthening the field administration, but those are gathering dust at the ministry.

Sources in the ministry said it is the government that would have to be more serious about the matter. A member of the administrative reforms committee, however, said the ministries concerned should come up with specific proposals.

“The establishment ministry has prepared the drafts in case the government asks for those. We are waiting for the government to make further move in this regard,” an official of the ministry told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.

Besides suggesting performance-based postings and promotion, the draft has proposed formation of a “civil service authority” to act as the guardian of the public servants with an aim to cut political influence on the administration.

Sources said the reforms committee also directed the ministries concerned to instil dynamism in administrative work and ensure postings of the right persons in the right places.

“We have enough reports and recommendations on reforms in the civil administration but we are lagging behind regarding implementation,” Food Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali, a member of the committee, told The Daily Star.

Emphasising structural reforms in civil service, he said the Public Administration Reforms Committee (PARC) of 2000 came up with a set of good recommendations but to no avail.

The cabinet committee on administrative reforms and good governance was formed in July last year and reconstituted on February 12 this year after resignation of four advisers in January.

Its present members are AMM Shawkat Ali, Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury.

Talking to The Daily Star, several bureaucrats expressed frustration over the performance of the committee.

“We cannot be optimistic about effective reforms in the administration as the army-backed caretaker government will be in office for a few more months,” a secretary said.

According to sources, 22 bodies have so far been formed to streamline the bureaucracy but very few of their recommendations have been implemented.

“Nothing has actually happened so far in this regard,” said the food adviser.

The constitution says the public administration would be run as per a law passed in parliament but no such law has been enacted since the country’s independence although consecutive governments have introduced rules for political gain.

The human resources management committee of the establishment ministry formed a subcommittee at the end of last year for drafting a civil service ordinance and policies for promotion, transfer, career planning and strengthening field administration. The subcommittee submitted the five drafts in early December.

To stop political influence on the public servants, it suggested forming a five-member Civil Service Authority.

“The process for appointing members of the Civil Service Authority will be like that of the judges. The members will have 25-year job experience and be free from all political linkages,” a source close to the subcommittee said.

The Civil Service Authority will also listen to the grievances of government employees who at present go to the Prime Minister’s Office, which creates scopes for political influence on the administration.

The draft suggests that the government will seek opinion of the Civil Service Authority before bringing any change to any policy. “It will ensure a check and balance in the administration,” said sources.

The annual confidential report should focus more on performance, the subcommittee said, suggesting postings and promotion on merit-based performance.

“Disregard for merit and performance over the years has disheartened many government servants,” a joint secretary said seeking anonymity.

The subcommittee suggested a provision for voluntary retirement after completion of 15 years in job instead of the present 25 years.

Besides, the subcommittee suggested removing the provision of forced retirement. “The government can award any other punishment instead of forced retirement–there are several other ways to deal with it,” the joint secretary said.

The subcommittee also recommended providing legal support to public servants if one has to face legal proceedings for any action done in good faith while discharging government duties.

The career planning policy suggests need-based training throughout a government employee’s career.

However, the drafts lie idle as the human resources management committee did not hold any meeting since it submitted the drafts, said sources.

The bureaucracy has been destroyed over the years damaging the morale of honest officials, a retired secretary said. “We cannot afford to be oblivious of the sliding morale and lack of commitment of government servants anymore. Well composed policies should come immediately to rein it and ensure quality civil service,” he added.

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