Reform proposal recommended retaining 'keys of power' in Public Administration

The Public Administration Reform Commission, formed by the interim government, has recommended that the Cabinet Department, being directly led by the head of government, take responsibility for implementing reforms as it is the most suitable entity for overseeing the process.

Moreover, the commission says, adopting these recommendations will enhance administrative efficiency, improve public service quality, and ensure greater transparency and accountability within the bureaucracy.

According to the commission's final report, despite the formation of more than two dozen commissions and committees over the past 53 years, most recommendations were not implemented. This failure is primarily due to two reasons: political leadership frequently rejected many proposals, and even when accepted, there was insufficient commitment to their execution; additionally, bureaucratic conflicts led to a lack of cooperation from officials.

The commission notes that successful reforms are more likely when there is strong political will and favorable circumstances. Furthermore, it stresses the importance of civil servants providing administrative leadership in executing reforms under the guidance of the head of government. The report concludes that both political will and administrative determination are critical to the successful implementation of these reforms.

Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, head of the Public Administration Reforms Commission, presented the full report to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday (February 5). It was subsequently published on the Cabinet Division's website on Saturday, February 8.

Increasing the Power of Bureaucracy

The report highlights that since independence, no clear policy has defined the role of bureaucracy, leading to periods where it became too powerful, disregarding political leadership and ordinary citizens, and other times when it was weakened by political influence. While new laws and regulations were introduced over time, they were not effective in instilling professional values within the service.

To create a disciplined and people-oriented bureaucracy, the commission recommends the development of a 'Civil Service Code' that will outline the professional conduct expected from government officials.
This code will help make public administration more transparent and citizen-friendly.

Impartiality in Administration

According to an online survey conducted by the commission with 105,000 participants, 84.4% of respondents believe public administration reform is necessary in the country. Additionally, 80% of citizens feel that public administration is not people-friendly, and 68.8% believe that impartiality has been lacking in the administration over the past 15 years.

The report identifies political interference as the primary issue in public administration and proposes several recommendations to improve citizen services, including eliminating political influence to make the administration more people-friendly, restructuring the administrative framework, enhancing accountability in all departments, and improving the training system.

Re-organisation of Administrative Structure

The commission recommends the formation of the Bangladesh Administrative Service and the Superior Executive Service (SES), with appointments from Deputy Secretary to Additional Secretary to be made through a competitive examination process. Additionally, it proposes restructuring the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) into 13 distinct services, each based on specific types of work and specialised skills, with separate Public Service Commissions responsible for making appointments to each service.

The report also suggests splitting the BCS (Accounts and Audit) Service into two distinct entities: the 'Bangladesh Accounting Service' and the 'Bangladesh Audit Service.'

Addressing the BCS General Information Cadre, the commission proposes merging its three sub-cadres, citing existing disparities in promotion and benefits. The new merged service would include Assistant Director/Information Officer/Research Officer, Assistant Programme Director, and Assistant News Controller, with promotions based on merit.

The commission further recommends integrating ICT officers into the Information Service, noting that many talented ICT professionals are already serving in government offices and achieving success internationally.

Additionally, the commission suggests including the BCS (Information Engineering) Service within the broader Information and Communication Technology Service.

In a proposal to abolish the BCS Trade Cadre, the commission points out that it is a small service and recommends merging it with the BCS (Customs and Excise) service.

With the rise of the internet, social media, and courier services, the relevance of the BCS (Postal) Service has diminished. Therefore, the commission proposes assessing the necessity of this service moving forward.

Reduction of Ministries

Currently, there are 43 ministries and 61 departments. The commission recommends significantly reducing this number to streamline governance, proposing a restructuring into 25 ministries and 40 departments. This recommendation is outlined in Annexure-5 of the report.

Introduction of Provincial Governance System

The commission argues that, given the country’s growing population and expanding government responsibilities, the existing administrative and local government structure is no longer adequate. In a centralized system, many tasks must still be handled at the ministry level. To better serve the large population, the commission suggests decentralising services by dividing the country’s four divisions into four provinces, thereby establishing a provincial governance system. This would allow for a more balanced distribution of power, alleviate pressure on the capital, Dhaka, and enable more efficient governance.

Capital City Government

Considering the population and service requirements of Dhaka, the report recommends the formation of a federally controlled "Capital City Government" or "Capital Metropolitan Government," similar to India’s capital, New Delhi. The proposed Capital City Government would encompass Dhaka city along with neighboring areas such as Tongi, Keraniganj, Savar, and Narayanganj. This government would have an elected legislature and local government, much like other provinces in the country.

Abolishing District Councils and Strengthening Municipalities

The commission suggests abolishing District Councils and further enhancing the municipal system to create a more integrated and effective local government structure. It notes that the District Council Chairman has never been directly elected by the people, and most District Councils lack a solid financial foundation, making them financially dependent. Therefore, the commission recommends that the resources of District Councils be transferred to the provincial government.

As a short-term measure, the report emphasizes the importance of strengthening municipalities, with the Chairman of the Municipality being directly elected by ward councilors. This would reduce the marginalization of councilors once the Chairman is elected. Similarly, to reduce political manipulation, the Local Government Reforms Commission also advocates for indirect voting in Union Council and District Council elections.