The crisis in the administration of the government is not ending. New issues are constantly being created, as well as new crises; Which is spreading from the top administrative office Bangladesh Secretariat to the field administration. The issue has brought the entire government management to a standstill. The administrative complications created after the change of government on August 5, 2024 continue to exist in the new year. To cut these administrative complications, promotion, posting, compulsory retirement, exemption from service, increments, promises of expensive allowances cannot be solved. Now again a new crisis has arisen with promotion to the post of deputy secretary – which has spread to the district and upazila administration. However, not much attention has been paid to simplifying citizen services, speeding up the work of government officials and reducing corruption; Which was very important. This information has been known by talking to various district administration officials including the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Sources in the administration say that the conflict between the BCS cadres has intensified again to resolve the cadre-disparity in the administration. New tension has started around the Public Administration Reforms Commission's statement on promotion. Administrative cadre officers have gone on strike in the Secretariat protesting the decision to reduce the quota of administrative cadre for promotion to the post of Deputy Secretary to reduce cadre disparity. They formed a group and took a stand in the Secretariat of the Ministry of Public Administration and presented their demands to the Secretary. Those officials also shared about it on social media. On the other hand, the organization of the 25 cadre officers other than the administration, 'Anthakadre-Baishamya Nirasan Parishad' has announced a program with their demands. These counter-movement programs are now making the field administration unstable.
It is alleged that in the last 15 years, the 'party administration' organized by the Awami League has made major changes at the top level, the push for promotion, the continuous demand movement of deprived officials, and the public administration has become extremely chaotic due to inexperience. The latest Public Administration Reform Commission's draft proposal made the situation even more tense. Due to this, work has come to a standstill everywhere.
Those concerned say that whatever hope there was of a transition from the chaos of July-August, has been dashed by the recommendations of the Reforms Commission. The current government has failed to handle the demands of the alleged deprived people of the last 15 years. Those concerned believe that many have made 'unreasonable demands' after the mass uprising. Officials have shown an unprecedented reaction in the secretariat, especially regarding the appointment of DC. They are even involved in hand-to-hand combat.
It is to be noted that the government formed a five-member committee on September 16 by convening Zakir Ahmed Khan, the former finance secretary and Bangladesh's alternate executive at the World Bank, to resolve the deprivation of the deprived officials during the Awami League period from 2009 to August 4, 2024. During the Awami League period, 1 thousand 540 people applied to this committee claiming deprivation. Among them, 764 people have been recommended for promotion to the posts of Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary and Secretary. Among them, 119 officers in the post of Secretary, 41 in the post of Grade-1 (Secretary Status), 528 in the post of Additional Secretary, 72 in the post of Joint Secretary and 4 in the post of Deputy Secretary can be given ex-officio promotion, according to the committee's recommendation. The recently concluded Advisory Council meeting on 24 December 2024 approved the implementation of this recommendation. While the process was going on, the Public Administration Secretary was besieged by these deprived officials, who had to face their cannons.
To overcome all these crises and speed up the administration, some promotions have been given in the meantime. According to the information of the Ministry of Public Administration, 23 officials have been made secretaries in the last four and a half months. 17 officers have been promoted to grade-1 post. 135 Additional Secretaries, 228 Joint Secretaries and 134 Deputy Secretaries have been promoted. Secretaries have been appointed in 14 ministries under the agreement.
In the face of the movement, there are many kinds of errors and mistakes in these promotions and postings. It is alleged that officials accused of irregularities have also been promoted on this occasion. Controversial officials have been appointed to important posts like secretary or deputy commissioner (DC), which has drawn criticism. That's why it seems to change the decision again and again to correct the mistakes. The inexperience of officials in policy-making positions has deepened the crisis. Because those who are being appointed to the top posts of the administration on contract, are out of work for a long time. So there is a stumbling block in decision making. On the other hand, the officers who are eligible for promotion are being denied due to appointment on contract basis. Frustration and anger are building up in them. After the appointment of many officials including food secretary, naval secretary, the appointment had to be canceled again.
Analyzing the promotion data, it can be seen that the officials who suffered deprivation during the last Awami League government got promoted, and the officials accused of corruption also got promoted. Many unskilled officers have also been promoted in Dhala promotion. The administration has raised many questions about this.
However, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5, although the administration has moved forward through various crises, there have also been some positive initiatives. The age limit for entering government jobs has been increased as per the long-standing demand of the job seekers. The government has issued an ordinance increasing the maximum age limit to 32 years. On November 18, the 'Maximum Age Limit for Direct Recruitment to Government, Autonomous, Semi-Autonomous, Statutory Government Authorities, Public Non-Financial Corporations and Self-governing Organizations Ordinance, 2024' was issued. That didn't solve the problem. Amidst all this, the conflict between the newly created administration cadre and the remaining 25 cadres has put the government in a new crisis.
It is known that there is a new tension in the administration based on a recommendation of the Public Administration Reforms Commission. At present, there is a provision for appointment of 75 percent officers from administration and 25 percent from other cadres for the post of Deputy Secretary to the government. The Public Administration Reforms Commission has proposed to appoint 50 per cent officers from one cadre called Administration and 50 per cent from other 25 cadres for promotion to the post of Deputy Secretary. Officials of the administration cadre reacted angrily to this proposal of the reform commission formed by the government. Hundreds of officials gathered in front of the Ministry of Public Administration and protested. Another alliance of 25 cadres, the Inter-Cadre Discrimination Redressal Council, has also expressed outrage over the commission's recommendation. They are also moving. Centrally the statement, followed by curfew, human chain and rally was announced by officers of other cadres outside the administration cadre. As a result, new instability is being created in public administration.
Those related to the administration say that the biggest challenge of the government will be to restore order in the administration in the new year (year 2025) with all these problems in mind. In the light of the experience of the past few months, the government should take steps with caution. So that no controversy can arise again. Now the officials of different levels of administration are spending their time in the movement with demands. Policy-making decisions are far from over. Routine work is also not being carried out properly. Disruption of civil service delivery process. Those concerned also think that if this situation is not resolved soon, there may be a crisis of people's trust in the government.
Meanwhile, the field realities, acquired knowledge and insights in the formulation of government policies in the administration of government have made their way to the representative politicians of the people of the country. In this case, those who have been leading in this field of the country, are the officers of the administration cadre. Dissatisfaction has been going on in the administration cadre for several years as a result of abolishing the economic cadre and merging it with the administration cadre in 2018. Among them, the administration cadre organization Bangladesh Administrative Service Association and the DCs of 64 districts across the country are expressing strong protests and reactions immediately after the announcement of the introduction of the examination system for the post of deputy secretary and the recommendation to appoint 50 percent officers instead of 75 percent from the administration cadre.
When asked about this, several Deputy Commissioners of Barisal and Rangpur divisions told Bengali Tribune on condition of anonymity that administration is the heart of any government. If complications arise here, there is a danger that everything will become useless. So administrative complications should be avoided at all costs. The Public Administration Reforms Commission should finalize its recommendations by talking to stakeholders more efficiently.
They said that any decision of the government is conveyed to the public at the field level by the officers of the administration cadre. This should be taken into consideration. In the name of eliminating cadre disparity, they also requested to keep an eye on the entire government so that it does not become useless.
When asked, the former secretary of the Cabinet Division, Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said, 'It will take some time for the entire administration to become normal. The government should proceed according to the plan to avoid any crisis in the administration. The measure of success of any government is to improve the quality of citizen services. The current government must be looking into that.'
