Is admin reform possible at all?

The interim government's ambition to create a people-centric, accountable, efficient, and impartial administration faces mounting uncertainty, as administration cadre officials and representatives from 25 other cadres remain at odds over promotions to the post of deputy secretary among other reform proposals.

Administration cadre officials demand 100% of these promotions be reserved for them, arguing it aligns with the state's welfare. In contrast, non-admin cadres call for merit-based promotions to eliminate perceived discrimination. 

Currently, 75% of deputy secretary promotions are allocated to the administration cadre, while 25% go to other cadres.

All the conflict began after Abdul Mueed Chowdhury, head of the Public Administration Reform Commission, during an event on 17 December said they would propose reforms, including examinations for promotions to deputy and joint secretary positions.

He suggested an even split in promotions, with 50% reserved for the administration cadre and the other 50% for non-administration cadres. He also recommended forming separate commissions for promotions within education and health sectors, similar to the judicial service.

The Bangladesh Administrative Service Association, representing administration cadre officials, rejected the proposals, citing insufficient consultation and threatening legal action if the recommendations are implemented. 

They argue that only administration cadre officers should be promoted to higher ranks, including deputy secretary, joint secretary, additional secretary, and secretary. 

Meanwhile, the "Inter-Cadre Inequality Elimination Council," representing 25 non-administration cadres, has announced protests, including pen-down strikes, human chains, and rallies from 23 December to 4 January. The council accuses the reform commission of failing to address long-standing discrimination and vows further action if their concerns are ignored.

Although numerous commissions have been formed since independence, their recommendations have rarely been fully implemented due to a lack of political commitment. 

A senior official at the public administration ministry

Mofizur Rahman, an education cadre officer and coordinator of the council, criticised the commission's unilateral decision-making. "We want a discrimination-free administration, and we will take necessary actions to ensure it," he said.

Challenges to reforms 

Public administration expert and former additional secretary Firoz Mia emphasised that public administration reform should focus on streamlining services, ensuring accountability, combating corruption, and establishing a modern manpower structure with a strong legal framework. 

He warned that reforms must prevent officials from aligning with political governments for personal gain. 

"Reforms require a strong political government," he said, adding that imposing reforms against the interests of cadre officials poses significant risks.

Public Administration Professor Sadiq Hasan of Dhaka University echoed this sentiment, noting that meaningful reforms are best undertaken by a political government with the authority and will to enforce changes. While the formation of the reform commission is a positive step, he cautioned that resistance from cadre officials could complicate implementation.

A senior official at the public administration ministry, speaking anonymously, highlighted that successive governments have consistently avoided conflicts with administration cadre officials to maintain their satisfaction. This approach, he said, has hindered the implementation of meaningful reforms. 

"Although numerous commissions have been formed since independence, their recommendations have rarely been fully implemented due to a lack of political commitment," the official added.

While the interim government may adopt some recommendations, experts warn that widespread resistance from cadre officials and a lack of strong political backing make comprehensive reform unlikely in the near future.

Contentious issues within the cadres 

The primary conflict in public administration revolves around promotions to deputy secretary. Administration cadres demand 100% of these positions be filled from their ranks, while officials from the other 25 cadres advocate for merit-based promotions beyond the quota system.

Disputes also extend to other Grade-1 posts, with non-admin cadres arguing that similar allocations of Grade-1 positions between administration and other cadres limit their promotional opportunities. 

Another contentious issue is the government's car purchase loan scheme. Deputy secretaries receive Tk30 lakh in low-interest loans and Tk50,000 monthly for maintenance. With administration cadres dominating deputy secretary promotions, they benefit disproportionately, prompting other cadres to demand equal access for all officers of that rank.

Further grievances arise regarding deputy commissioner appointments, mobile court operations, and presidential warrants. Only administration cadres are appointed as deputy commissioners and tasked with running mobile courts. 

Other cadres argue that courts addressing food adulteration should fall under the food cadre, while health cadres should oversee cases involving expired medicines and unlicensed healthcare facilities.

Although 25 cadres have jointly protested to eliminate perceived discrimination, officials from foreign affairs, police, customs, and tax cadres remain less active, with many not seeing significant conflicts with the administration cadre.

Who is saying what?

On 18 December, the Administrative Service Association demanded 100% of key positions, such as deputy secretary and above, be reserved for administration cadre officers, citing the state's welfare. 

They criticized the report for lacking input from aspiring administration officers and insufficient scrutiny. 

Deputy commissioners nationwide protested, calling the announcement objectionable and detrimental to the state system in a letter to top public administration officials. 

The general education and health cadres also rejected the recommendations, with the former suspecting a conspiracy to destabilise the government and the latter labelling the proposal unilateral, further fuelling tensions over public administration reform.

History of public administration reform  

Since independence, several commissions have been formed for administrative reform in Bangladesh, yet most failed to achieve substantial progress. 

In 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the "Civil Administration Restoration Committee," followed by the "Administrative Reorganization Committee" and the "National Pay Scale Commission" in 1972. 

These initiatives led to ministry restructuring, the creation of constitutional institutions, and a new salary structure.

Under Ziaur Rahman, the "Pay and Service Commission" focused on administrative restructuring and salary improvements. 

HM Ershad formed 10 reform commissions, including the "Martial Law Committee" and the "National Pay Commission," resulting in significant changes such as upgrading police stations to upazilas and revising the pay scale.

After democracy was restored, the BNP government in 1991 formed a reform committee, which failed to submit recommendations. 

In 1996 and 1997, the Awami League established the Administrative Reform and Public Administration Reform Commissions to enhance transparency and efficiency. In 2005, the BNP enacted the "Tax Ombudsman Act" for financial transparency. 

The caretaker government's 2007 "Regulatory Reform Commission" separated the judiciary from the executive. In 2009, the Awami League introduced a Performance-Based Evaluation System to boost administrative efficiency.

Political commitment, colonial bureaucratic legacies, and vested interests remain major hurdles, leaving most reform efforts unimplemented.