Top-heavy imbalance in civil bureaucracy a serious concern

It is imperative for a country to have a strong and effective civil service, without which the process of efficient governance is almost impossible. Which is why we are extremely concerned to see the current state of Bangladesh's civil bureaucracy, where the top posts have disproportionately gone up in number while the lower tiers remain slim, creating an imbalance that has led to a lack of productivity and accountability, and discontent among non-admin cadre officials. According to a report in this daily, this imbalance in some cases is so great that the number of officials holding top positions is more than three times the approved posts, while thousands of posts in lower tiers exist only on paper.

The numbers reported in The Daily Star are eye-opening. For example, according to public administration ministry data, more than one in every five posts of Class 1 officers are lying vacant, whereas there are now 309 additional secretaries (Grade 2) against 99 posts, with 210 supernumerary or in-situ promotions in the position. However, among all the 26 cadres, it is mainly the administration cadre that has been enjoying such promotions—which has been termed by other cadre officials as "discriminatory". According to the government's own data, there are currently 490 officials holding joint secretary (Grade 3) positions against 370 approved posts, and 165 officers holding Grade 4 (selection grade) positions against 135 posts, while the lower tiers are facing manpower shortages—there are 886 senior assistant secretaries against 1,740 posts and 736 assistant secretaries against 1,314 posts.  

Why is taxpayers' money being used to give higher positions and higher salaries for holding the same office and performing the same duties as before? According to experts, in-situ promotions are the major culprit in harming the structural functionality of the bureaucracy, and since there are no specific guidelines regarding them, it creates the possibility of candidates being chosen not based on their merit, but on the intensity of their lobbying efforts and for politically motivated reasons.

   In June this year, this daily reported on how the government has put present and former bureaucrats at the helm of almost all state bodies, instead of public representatives or professionals outside the civil service. In July, we also saw an absurd proposal placed before the cabinet from the public administration ministry, seeking impunity for retired public servants who have been convicted of committing serious crimes or ethical turpitude (this was, thankfully, rejected). However, in all of these instances, we see the same thread—of top-tier bureaucrats with a disproportionate amount of power and security concentrated in their positions. It is absolutely essential that the government introduce civil service reforms and correct these imbalances in the bureaucracy, before these structural weaknesses render it unable to perform its primary function of delivering public services.