Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 893 Fri. December 01, 2006  
   
Letters to Editor


Civil servants


Under the Constitution of Bangladesh every person in the service of the Republic (i.e. the civil servants) holds office under the President. The Civil Servants are meant to work as the servants of the Republic. This is very different from being employees of the political party running the government. The distinction is vital because civil servants are meant to be non-political persons who work under the government of the day and ensure continuity of work of the State from one government to another.

At present the civil servants of Bangladesh are meant to work for the Non-Party Caretaker Government. The recent surreptitious visit of a large number of civil servants to the office of a BNP associate is a flagrant violation of the principles, rules, and codes of conduct under which the civil servants are meant to act. These civil servants have grossly undermined the stature of the non-party and neutral Caretaker Government. The Council of Advisers would be well advised to take stern and effective action against these civil servants. Otherwise the Advisers themselves will lose credibility.

Heads need to roll and quickly if the Caretaker Government hopes to be perceived as neutral.