Admin reels from Pabna shock

The much-publicised row between a ruling party lawmaker and local administration for the last one week over recruitment of only 12 low-ranked staff in the Pabna district has put the issue of good governance and credibility of the government on the line. Though not against the tradition, lawmaker Golam Faruk Khandaker Prince wanted his men on board and Deputy Commissioner Manzur Kadir won't oblige to the demands he termed unethical. The lawmaker wanted to bend the law, if not breaking it, and the head of district administration to uphold it. One roots for party aspirants and the other for all jobseekers. The people's representative saw nothing beyond party while the public servant, at least as it showed, rallied behind rules. That was how the things were seen by the public. At the same time, away in Gopalganj, Prime Minister's Health Adviser Syed Modasser Ali came out with more blunt intention, openly directing the health administration of the district to fill all the 13,500 posts with AL men. Much to the public disappointment, more such incidents or ruling party influences across the country were reported in the media. What a suicidal exposure it is for a party that came to power with a thumping majority and pledges for a change. For days the tension brewed in Pabna before going from bad to worse. Examination centres for recruitment came under attack and government officials were assaulted. The administration got united and countered with an unprecedented public demonstration of its frustration over political influence, putting AL-loyalty before eligibility in recruitment. League men rallied and brought out processions to oust him from Pabna while the DC along with his colleagues stuck to his guns. "The DC is not a good person, and he doesn't work for me or for the party [AL]. He is trying to tarnish my image by spreading propaganda against me," the lawmaker said. The DC, on the other hand, fired back: "I can't entertain any unlawful demand of the lawmaker. I'll discharge my duty as per the rules." Both the strong men boasted of support from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was then attending United Nations General Assembly in New York. There came a compromise formula, with the event getting more and more media focus and piling up embarrassment for the government. Twenty-one AL men landed in jail upon surrender, the DC along with the superintendent of police were withdrawn from Pabna and media was castigated for exaggeration. Suppose, lawmaker Prince did not press for anything unusual that BNP leaders did not gun for while in power, the DC refused to budge for some reasons other than ethics or rules of service and a section of media went on to exaggerate. Still, the whole issue from which the unfortunate incident stemmed remains as ominous as ever, as bad as it could be for the people and country. The lawmaker was so hell bent on getting his men on government service that he dared to push his party on a collision course with the administration, support and sincerity of which are essential to fulfil election pledges and implement the development projects. And did he ever care to think what the people of Pabna would make of his aggressive actions? The MP is for the partymen, not for the people, and that the government would continue to deprive them of jobs for not being AL activists. Now the question is whether there will be any soul-searching in the policy-making circle of the party, whose charter for change inspired millions of voters to be hopeful about a fresh start towards a better Bangladesh. Would the AL bigwigs care to know what the ruling party has really gained out of the event--- 'yes' from some myopic partymen and huge 'no' from the people? Soon after the Pabna publicity, some AL big names tried to smart from the crisis, telling that it is only natural that people's representatives will have some recruitment obligation to fulfil and that BNP leaders had done that too. As being the people's representative, lawmakers are pledge-bound to uphold people's interest, not party's. They are expected to ensure only efficient and eligible candidates get recruited. And, under the charter for change, is not the AL supposed to break away from the culture of we-are-doing-as-they-did? All appointments must have to be made on the strength of eligibility. None but qualification should come into consideration for recruitment and promotion. The target should be, as desired by the people and as outlined by all who wish Bangladesh well, to have a small but efficient government workforce. We can no way achieve it if the government gives in to the demand for partisan appointment. And if this culture of recruitment continues, the only signal the people would get is that none but political activists would be employed. And the taxpayers, not politicians, will have to bear the burden. The administration along with many, meanwhile, has been waiting for the premier to return home with an expectation that head of the government would act judiciously and impartially to tackle the situation, action of which can have a decisive impact on its prospect in the general elections due in little over three years. DC Manzur has certainly scored some points in his favour despite his loyalty to the AL being questioned. He might have violated a rule of service by going public with his frustration, but he indeed was bold enough to stand against unethical interferences, for the people in other words. The DC was hastily withdrawn from Pabna, and a group of AL leaders was planning to teach him a good lesson for the 'disobedience' on arrival of the prime minister on Wednesday night. The bureaucrats are also waiting to see how prudently the prime minister settles the matter. What the DC did should be subject of a fair departmental inquiry and suitable actions. But any action beyond rules can make the administration nervy and erode its confidence in the government. And no party knows more than the AL how dangerous it can be when the administration becomes uncomfortable. Problems are not in short supply in people's life-- the crises of electricity, gas, drinking water, traffic, housing, spiralling prices of essentials and climate. The government is about to enter the third of its five-year term, and the country still waits to see how it delivers on those crucial important fronts. The people have witnessed enough of excesses by leaders of its student and youth fronts over tenders in development work and even admission in schools and colleges. They have seen how terribly the government failed to contain those bad boys. The government must wake up now to the reality and get its priorities fixed before people's vote of confidence in it changes.