Speed-up administration
COMPARED to a developed country the capability of an underdeveloped country is very limited. Bangladesh, being a least developed country, should never be oblivious to the fact that she will have to overcome lots of hurdles before reaching the stage of mid-income country. To attain this stage she needs good governance and good administration. It is regrettable that, despite the passage of more than nine months, the new government has not been able to make us hopeful about attaining its declared commitment. To a neutral observer, the AL-led government appears to be more concerned about consolidating its power without concentrating on promoting national interest. Admittedly, the administration has failed to speed up work to attain the national goals in time. In fact, the prime minister has already conveyed her disappointment and disapprobation to the secretaries to the government about the painfully slow disposal of government decisions. Her admonishment could not bring any positive result as it is beyond the powers of the secretaries to gear-up administrative actions.
Bringing administrative efficiency is a time-consuming and difficult task. It is true that Bangladesh did not inherit a good administration in 1971. The war of liberation added a new challenge for the erstwhile provincial administration of the then East Pakistan. It took around 12 years to attain some semblance of efficiency. After return of democracy in 1991 the democratic governments in power failed to pay due attention to improving the capacity of the administration. Instead, the administration started losing its capability due to emergence of negative factors like politicisation and corruption.
Whatever level of efficiency was in the past, the bureaucracy had a neutral outlook because in those days politicians interfered much less in the administration. Somehow or other parties in power started using the administration, "not so infrequently," to either promotie individual benefit, or the party's benefit, since 1991. Consequently, national interest was deprived of due attention.
Mistrust and suspicion between the major political parties resulted in weakening of the administration. The present government did not inherit a reasonably good administration from the immediate past democratic government (BNP-led alliance), which was highly politicised and corrupt.
The current policy of promotion and appointment of the present government has become questionable. Depriving promotions or appointments, or posting on political consideration, amounts to depriving the legitimate candidates from their due. Promoting the cause of the party in position may not result in bringing efficiency or speed. On the contrary, it may further slow down the work.
Administrative improvement needs planning and execution of effective policy suited to the Bangladesh environment. What is needed now is a short-term plan to speed up disposal of cases (relating to both policy and implementation).
Among the major policy decisions lagging behind badly are export policy, education policy, energy policy and health policy. Formulation of an export policy is particularly important because of the impact of the global economic meltdown. Adoption of an education policy has already been delayed by more than 34 years (1975-2009). Adoption of an energy policy will assist in increasing investment in the energy sector, boosting up industrialisation and increasing national productivity. A health policy will help improve the general health of the nation and productivity of the labour force.
Apart from formulation of various critical policies, the need for quick implementation of the Pay Commission Report brooks no delay, or any indefinite deferment, because such delay may create restlessness among government employees. Dissatisfaction among government servants may prove to be highly damaging.
For real success in activating the administration the importance of cooperation by the opposition cannot be ignored. Whether it is policy or matters relating to implementation the participation of the opposition is necessary to make them really effective. It is advisable to utilise the services of even the so-called politicised government servants for saving the administration from the doldrums. In this regard, let us remember the utilisation of pre-revolution officials after the setting up of the revolutionary government in China.
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