Photo: Messenger
The Bangladeshi civil service debates are still on, the contents of which revolve around the dominance of the administration cadre over ministries, procedural delays, lack of accountability and integrity, poor service quality and several other systemic problems.
Controversies have also been ignited, particularly when the recommendation the Reform Commission report made public, because that report has drawn up a generalized dissatisfaction among administration cadre officials. Many would still call for the commission head to quit or tender his resignation.
Some administrations cadre officials have made statements in the media which have mostly attracted negative reaction from the public. Meanwhile, officials of the other 25 cadres have threatened a series of protests calling for discrimination to stop. In general, a sense of unrest rules in the administration.
The British colonial rulers governed this region for 200 years, their administrative system that they left behind, of course, was one far aimed at siphoning the blood of people than at really administering them. British colonial rule was over, and with it, the Pakistani reign had also come to an end; but the vestige of the civil service, which had been handed over from the British, was still there.
Expecting a good civil service in modern times from a 250 years old system may be extremely naive, Though British themselves have reformed their many systems but we still in British system. Bureaucracy plays a vital role in the governing of the country; the civil servants are the part and parcel of making its functioning.
Modern bureaucracy's father, Max Weber, argued civil service must be merit-based along with written evidence and professionalism as key bases of this system. The disadvantage that Weber's model had was that it took lots of time and increased red tapes. In the current Bangladeshi bureaucracy, this issue is evident.
Even minor tasks often require approval from the ministry level, during which the files take days to lie unattended on a desk, often termed as bureaucratic complexities. Files don't move without external pressure.
Most ministry heads come from the administration cadre, leaving officials from other cadres to depend on them for promotions, transfers, and approvals. This disparity has prompted demands from non-administration cadres that ministries should be managed by cadres specific to their domain. While their demands may have inconsistencies, the administration cadre is also unwilling to relinquish control over their ministries.
This has created significant conflicts among the cadres, which, if unresolved, will ultimately affect the public, if unaddressed, would finally boil down to affecting the public. Every state requires an administration if at all it is going to function. However, does this type of conflict happen in all states? No. Then let us go ahead and find out how the other countries of the world manage their ministries.
In most EU member states, senior managers (civil servants) hold the top administrative positions, selected through specialized recruitment processes. In France, senior appointments were historically made from the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA). However, since January 1, 2022, the National Institute of Public Service (INSP) has taken over this role, focusing on recruitment, training, and professional development of senior civil servants and managers. INSP emerged as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s civil service reforms aimed at increasing openness, diversity, and service quality.
In the Netherlands, a senior civil service system was introduced a few years ago, with a recruitment process modeled after the private sector. Job vacancies are advertised publicly, and candidates—both from within and outside the civil service—can apply if they meet the qualifications.
Similarly, in the UK, senior positions such as Permanent Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Undersecretary (grades 1 to 5) are typically filled internally. Recently, vacancies in grades 1 to 3 have been opened to external competition, involving rigorous assessments, interviews, and evaluations. In Spain, certain senior management positions are open to non-civil servants with the required qualifications and experience, although these appointments are temporary.
Turkey’s civil service is governed by the Civil Servants Law (657), emphasizing merit-based recruitment through competitive exams like the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS). Promotion to higher positions requires in-service training and examinations, though these processes can be influenced by political interference.
A comprehensive review shows that EU member states emphasize equal opportunity and merit-based principles in civil service recruitment. Two main models are prevalent career-based systems, seen in France and Spain, which rely on competitive exams and structured career progression; and position-based systems, as in the Netherlands and Nordic countries, which focus on job-specific requirements and often mirror private-sector practices.
Political influence in senior appointments remains a challenge, particularly in countries like Belgium, France, and Spain, where ministers wield discretionary powers.
Developed and developing nations continuously reform their civil administrations to make them more citizen-focused. Senior Civil Service units are established to identify and recruit competent individuals for policymaking roles through exams, interviews, or other methods.
To transform the state into a welfare-oriented entity, its administration must prioritize public welfare. In developed countries, civil servants see themselves as managers or customer service officers aiming to deliver government services to citizens efficiently. In contrast, in Bangladesh, receiving services often requires addressing officials as “sir,” and this mindset must change.
To eliminate discrimination and build a public welfare-oriented administration, the government could establish four distinct civil services: General Management Civil Service, Health Civil Service, Education and Technical Civil Service, and Senior Management Civil Service.
Each service would recruit personnel based on specific requirements, with General Management Civil Service overseeing field administration, while health and education sectors operate independently. The Senior Management Civil Service would handle higher administration and policymaking, selecting skilled, experienced candidates from all cadres.
Now is the time to make Bangladesh’s administration more citizen-focused by dismantling outdated structures and red tape to build a modern, welfare-oriented civil service system.
The Writer is a Lecture, department of public Administration, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur. He can be reached at [email protected].
Messenger/Tareq
