In quest of ensuring better services in public sectors

Ensuring corruption and complicacy-free services in both public and private sectors is a pre-requisite for rapid and sustainable development of a country subject to existence of a harmonious and development-friendly political environment. In spite of facing various hindrances Bangladesh achieved envious development in education, health, communication, ICT and trade & commerce in the last few years. Bangladesh has been able to achieve recognition from the world community as developing rapidly in economic indicators removing its criticism of bottomless basket. Bangladesh has set an example in achieving international targets and commitments so quickly in the areas of MDG, HDI etc despite facing political instability with other avoidable barriers. World community is amazed to see jealously combined hardworking efforts of the people of the country for achieving significant development. People of the country can never deny the positive involvement of officials in public and private sectors behind this achievement besides politicians' direct supervision, directions and contribution. But visible progress of the country could happen more early as well as enormously if timely, complicacy-free and development-friendly services might be ensured in public sectors as public sectors are the premier machineries of government to implement its development policies. Now-a-days government officials in public sectors are working beyond scheduled office timetable facing risks and uncertainty for proper implementation of government policies. Despite working hard they are accused of insincerity in services, corruption and misuse of government resources. Because of the allegation against some government officials people forget their hard working contribution to the journey of achieving rapid economic development of the country. Nobody can blame all the government officials for their involvement with these types of unethical activities. On the other hand there is no scope of proving false the belief of people about indulging in unethical activities of some government officials in government services. People undoubtedly believe that economic development could happen more early and rapidly if machineries in public sectors could run sincerely in a corruption-free environment. People also firmly believe that tangible and continuous economic progress could happen by avoiding immoral activities and misuse of public resources by the government officials.
It is inevitable for the government to dispel all hindrances to ensure a development-friendly atmosphere in public sectors. So government officials should be brought under strong monitoring system for preventing them from indulging in unethical activities. Besides this, exemplary punitive measures should be taken rapidly in case of occurrences of immoral activities done by government officials. Before this they have to be ensured some basic opportunities that will encourage them to keep away from getting involved in immoral practices. Government may think about the following steps to ensure corruption-free and complicacy-free services in public sectors:
Salaries and allowances of officials in public sectors should be realistic and sufficient for running smoothly a family consisting of six members by maintaining social status. There may be a permanent pay commission to determine a justified salary structure comparing those of the neighbouring countries and considering current inflation rate of the country. Discrimination might be dispelled in case of fixing up salaries of officers and staffs considering same prices of commodities for both. Uniformity might be maintained in case of providing monetary benefits (selection grade, senior scale, time scale etc) to all officers and staffs irrespective of cadre and non-cadre departments. Interior working places like hills and low lying areas (haors) may become attractive to the employees by giving extra lucrative allowances and benefits.
Officers as well as staffs in public sectors should be brought under smooth process of getting timely promotion and other monetary facilities and domestic and foreign training removing all sorts of discrimination, complications and politicisation.
Politicisation for providing promotion, transfer, posting and all types of benefits to government employees might be removed. Patronisation of professional organisations in public sectors by political parties might be prohibited by making law in the parliament. Rather professional organisations should run without direct or indirect political bias and support.
After certain periods officials in public sectors may ask some options of working places for transfer. It will definitely inspire them to work sincerely. If possible they may be transferred to places adjacent to their permanent/present residence. This may reduce corruption and other immoral practices because of fear of losing traditional family and social prestige and status.
There may be the provision for government officials to stay with family at working places provided with all sorts of facilities for suitable existence just to get the highest returns as services from them.
Officers and staffs in public sectors may be provided with rational logistic supports.
Government offices might be given allotment of sufficient money to bear expenses as contingencies, fuel costs etc to prevent government officials from taking extra money from clients as donations or purposes for meeting additional expenses.
There may be a provision for public sectors officials of getting actual amount of loan at marginal interest rate for making house/buying plot and flat as well as for meeting expenses of ensuring quality education and medical facilities to family members. Strong punitive actions should be taken in case of receiving loans for false purpose or more amount than actual expenses.
Government might remove all sorts of complicacies, harassment and corruption in case of submitting and approving bills at accounts offices. One stop service might be introduced both in accounts offices and banks concerned for getting all monetary benefits by government officials.  
Head offices of Directorates/Departments may be shifted to the divisional towns or districts adjacent to Dhaka to inspire government officials to stay outside Dhaka. To make the plan a success the government needs to ensure quality education and medical facilities to these towns.
Government should show zero tolerance for taking rapid punitive actions against government officials for misusing government money, resources and vehicles.  
Strong monitoring system may be applied to ensure proper utilisation of office timetable by government officials.   
Corruption happens if service receivers come in touch with the service providers. Therefore procedures of providing services at public offices may be digitalised just to keep service receivers away from service providers.
There may be the provision of disclosing publicly longevity or lifetime of completed development works to ensure accountability and quality.
There may be the arrangements of regular motivational training for government officials to inspire them for becoming only service provider not becoming administrator.
ACRs (annual confidential reports) may be written stressing more importance on employees' honesty, dedication and contribution to work, departmental knowledge and dealings with clients.
 Besides ensuring  rational facilities in public sectors there might be the provision for government officials to submit details of their and family members' assets and bank balances each year to Income Tax department and Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) for ensuring honesty, sincerity and accountability in public sectors.
The writer is working for primary education in Bangladesh. Email: auparbayazidkhan@gmail.com