Public admin reform stalls as govt even acting contrary to key recommendations
Approximately 300 officials, including 14 secretaries, have been put on OSD. Around 150 officials have been sent on compulsory retirement, including a single instance involving nine secretaries
Highlights
- Public Administration Reform Commission formed in October 2024
- It submitted its report containing over 200 recommendations in February
- Government acted contrary to key recommendations
- Ten months after submission, progress on implementation remains minimal
The administrative reform agenda, which came to the forefront following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August 2024, has largely stalled, with the interim government even acting contrary to key recommendations made by the Public Administration Reform Commission.
The Commission, formed on 3 October 2024 under Muhammad Yunus's administration and led by Abdul Muyeed Choudhury, was tasked with building a people-centric, accountable, efficient, and neutral public service. After holding 45 meetings and consulting widely, the Commission submitted its report, containing over 200 recommendations across 14 categories, to the chief adviser on 5 February.
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Despite the Commission's recommendations against Officer on Special Duty (OSD) status without specific charges and the abolition of the provision for compulsory retirement after 25 years of service, the past 17 months of the interim government have seen a record number of such actions.
Approximately 300 officials, including 14 secretaries, have been put on OSD. Around 150 officials have been sent on compulsory retirement, including a single instance involving nine secretaries.
In another move contrary to the spirit of reform, the government has given a record number of contractual appointments to senior and regular secretarial posts. Currently, 20 out of 73 secretaries are serving on contract.
Lack of progress on key structural reforms
Ten months after submission, progress on implementation remains minimal. In some cases, experts say, government actions have directly contradicted the commission's recommendations. Analysts argue that recruitment, transfers, postings and promotions continue to follow patterns established under previous administrations, contributing to instability and stagnation within the bureaucracy.
The commission had proposed reducing the number of ministries from 43 to 25 and divisions from 61 to 40, as well as grouping similar ministries into five clusters. While the government has merged the Internal Resources Division with the National Board of Revenue and unified two divisions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, no broader initiative to rationalise ministries has been taken.
Former additional secretary and public administration expert Firoz Mia told TBS that the commission's report revealed serious gaps in understanding current administrative needs. He said many recommendations were inconsistent, unnecessary or even "absurd," and risked intensifying inter-cadre tensions. According to him, the report prioritised officials' interests over public interest, making it unlikely to gain acceptance within the civil service.
He further criticised the interim government for failing to appoint capable and neutral leadership at the top of the administration. "Many of those appointed on contract lack sufficient expertise, and some have past political affiliations or post-retirement NGO backgrounds," he said, adding that personal preference appeared to have influenced several appointments, weakening overall governance.
A senior official at the Ministry of Public Administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was limited enthusiasm within the government to implement most reform proposals. Apart from a few directives from the advisory council, he said, little guidance had been issued. He also claimed that many civil servants did not consider the commission's recommendations practical or appropriate.
The chief adviser's press secretary has repeatedly stated that progress is being made. At a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy on 11 September, he said more than 50 reform proposals from various commissions had already been implemented and that most recommendations would be completed before the government steps down.
However, inquiries suggest that key structural reforms remain untouched. Proposals to overhaul organisational and staffing structures from ministries to field offices, make ministry websites fully dynamic, restructure ICT governance, expand magistracy powers at district and upazila levels, and reform local government institutions have not been implemented.
Similarly, recommendations to reorganise the Bangladesh Civil Service by reducing cadres, merging several existing cadres, forming a Superior Executive Service, restructuring the Public Service Commission into three bodies, and abolishing the senior secretary post have seen no progress. Proposals to revise promotion quotas at the deputy secretary level and to end promotions without vacant posts have also been ignored, while in-situ promotions have continued.
Some digital governance reforms have advanced, building on earlier initiatives. Online income tax return submission has been made mandatory, and services related to land, birth registration, national identity cards and passports have expanded online. Notably, the government has implemented the commission's recommendation to abolish police verification for issuing passports.
