Govt must restore discipline in civil administration
We are concerned about the chaos gripping the civil administration following the fall of the Awami League government, resulting in disruptions in regular activities and services. According to a report by this daily, disorder, mainly due to a lack of qualified leadership, has been reigning in the ministries housed at the Secretariat Building, with frequent processions seen throughout last week. This situation must be handled deftly, lest the chaos leads to a deadlock in public services.
One issue highlighted by some mid-level officials is accumulated anger over top officials failing to lead by example. During the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina, these officials—mostly secretaries—spent their time running after various benefits. As the regime fell, a number of them did not show up at work—some switching off their phones—when their presence was needed. Moreover, there are no specific instructions yet about the general administration from the interim government, which took office on August 8.
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On the other hand, officers from different ministries, mainly BCS cadres, have been demonstrating with various demands. Their grievances range from denial of promotions to unfavourable transfer orders to change of designation. What is astonishing is that a majority of them are seeking to safeguard their personal interests during a crisis. Given how the top officials acted so far, it is perhaps natural that those below them would follow suit. One secretary lamented that "it is unimaginable that BCS cadres… can behave like this." We can't say we are surprised, though. When competent and sincere officers are pushed aside while incompetent and corrupt officials are favoured, such an outcome is inevitable. There have been no administrative reforms over the last 15 years; those who sought such reforms were ignored or not allowed to work, said a joint secretary.
Crisis has taken hold of the police administration as well. According to a report in Prothom Alo, there, too, partisanship has helped some police officials make impressive gains while those deemed remotely affiliated with the opposition were deprived of due benefits. Now, many of the police officers are in hiding while many have been dismissed from duty or made to retire because of past records. This has led to a sense of uncertainty among the junior and low-ranked officials.
This state of affairs cannot continue. A civil administration cannot continue to be dysfunctional, just as the police force cannot wallow in uncertainty. We would like to remind public servants that their job requires a bit of compromise, especially during a crisis. We know that some of their grievances are genuine and need attention of the authorities. But given the current situation, they need to be patient and follow due process to get what they have been deprived of. The interim government, meanwhile, must deal with this situation firmly and judiciously to restore discipline, getting rid of the unruliness. It must also address all genuine grievances and bring to the fore competent, honest officials with good track records.
Lastly, an administrative overhaul is crucial to ensure that the public administration and police authorities are able to operate independently and efficiently, regardless of who sits at the helm of the government.
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