Non-partisan service?

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President Mr. Md. Zillur Rahman's appeal to senior officials to discharge their duties according to the Constitution and rise above partisan politics is significant. But for this to happen, the appointment of senior officials should also be non-partisan. Diplomatic posts have become a reward for retired politicians, military officials and the like. People hardly get a glimpse of the "mission of righteousness" the President is talking about. President's wise counsel deserves praise no doubt. But to act non-partisan, civil servants need job security.
When a party comes to power, it replaces civil servants for obvious reasons. As long as this practice exists, it will be difficult for civil servants to rise above party politics. Instead of reminding the civil servants of the sanctity of their office, the President should have adviced the ministries to select civil servants from among those who have no party affiliation. Though he has come from a political background, he is the right person to moot such a proposal.
However, experience shows that the constitutional provisions are insufficient to deliver the desired results. With civil servants reluctant to change their style of functioning, the alternative is to amend the Constitution to withdraw the unlimited discretion and absolute immunity granted to them, and to enforce accountability for their actions and inaction. But today's legislators are tomorrow's Presidents or Prime Ministers. Who will amend the Constitution?
Gopal Sengupta
Canada
E-mail: gopalsengupta@aol.com