The revolt that stinks

FE Team | Published: October 24, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Shamsul Huq Zahid
The rot in the country's lacklustre bureaucracy has gone so deep and widespread that it now stinks.
Any sensible person is unlikely to contest such observation after listening to or reading in newspapers the comments made by a few public administration officials-some are at the top of the ladder and others at the bottom rung-early this week.
The first incident that was enacted at the BIAM auditorium last Sunday would remind many of the 'Janatar Mancha' erected by a section of government officials in March, 1996 in front of the National Press Club with the objective of unseating a civilian government. Those officials were acting on behalf of a certain political party.
But what took place at the BIAM auditorium was an emotional outburst of a section of officials centering on seniority, promotion and other facilities of in-service administrative cadre members. The event is no way connected with politics. However, the contents of the statements are identical when one weighs the same in the context of service rules of the government servants. In both the cases, all concerned demonstrated their strong defiance to the constitutionally recognised authority of the government.
One cannot but feel pity for Mr. Rokon-uddowla, a magistrate who has become a national celebrity because of his relentless fight against food adulterators. The over-exposure in the media might have gone into his head. Otherwise, being a petty official, how could he challenge the authority of the government, the higher courts and the constitutional obligation such as separation of the judiciary from the executive?
It is most likely that many administrative officials present at the BIAM function could not digest the strong statement of Mr. Dowla and were feeling uneasy. The outcome of the meeting between the law adviser and the leaders of the administrative services association (ASA) held next day demonstrates that fact. The ASA leaders who attended the meeting said they would support the separation of the judiciary from the executive as scheduled to take place from November 01 next. The government reportedly is going to take some administrative actions against Mr. Dowla. Thus, a man, who came to national limelight through his dedicated and sincere service to the people, quite unnecessarily, subjected himself to public criticism.
Similarly, none was ready for what happened next day. Mr. Badiur Rahman, the immediate past chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) announced his desire to go for 'voluntary' retirement. He did not hide his strong resentment over the government decision to transfer him to the ministry of food and disaster management as its secretary.
"As a servant (chakar) I have failed to satisfy my masters", he was quoted as saying while he explained the reason for his transfer from the NBR. He alleged that he was not even consulted by the finance adviser prior to his transfer to the food ministry.

Mr. Rahman is widely known as an honest and a tough-talking official. But his reaction to the government order transferring him to another government office surely would not go well with people even who admire him. Under the existing law of the land, it is the prerogative of the government to appoint and transfer of the officials who are in the service of the Republic. The government is not required to consult with any official, no matter he or she is holding an important position, prior to his or her transfer. If the government opts for such consultation, the entire administrative machinery would collapse.
Many might consider Mr. Rahman's response to government's transfer order as rash and not befitting to his stature. However, he has every right to opt for voluntary retirement and also feel aggrieved by any government action or decision concerning his individual interest. Some other high officials being aggrieved by government actions had also decided to retire prematurely. One recent example was Mr. Anwarul Iqbal, who is now adviser for local government, cooperatives and rural development. Mr. Iqbal had gone on voluntary retirement when he was removed from the post of the inspector general of police and made an officer-on-special duty (OSD) by the first caretaker government headed by President Iajuddin Ahmed. However, he decided to quit quietly.
The people concerned have strong reservation about the quality of bureaucracy. Politicisation and recruitment process have much to with the deterioration in the quality. In the post-independence years, there were some political interference in the appointment, promotion and transfer of government officials. But things reached a new height when all government officials were forced to join the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BKSAL) that represented one-party rule introduced in 1975.
There were efforts to restore some discipline in the administrative services after the political changeover in August 1975. But the political use of the administrative officials resurfaced in 1996 through the Janatar Mancha when the then BNP government failed miserably to take actions against the high officials who, in violation of service rules of government servants, triggered collapse of the civil administration.
Since then the governments across the political divide have tried to bring the civil bureaucrats to their respective sides. This practice has been responsible for the growing sense of indiscipline in the civil administration. The recent events are manifestations of that rot.