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Public administration in Bangladesh: Reflection on reforms 1

Article  in  Asian Journal of Political Science · June 1996

DOI: 10.1080/02185379608434073

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 Asian Journal of Political Science Volume 4 Number 1 (June 1996)

Public Administration in
Bangladesh: Reflection on
Reforms1
Ahmed Shafiqul Huque*

Reforms in Public Administration

R eforms are introduced in the system of public administration of a country for a

number of reasons. They seek to improve the level of organizational effectiveness,
although other explicit or implicit objectives of the concerned government may
be pursued.2 To be more specific, organizations may be simplified and streamlined and
priorities rearranged to reduce costs and improve programme effectiveness as well as
policy integration.3 Generally, the objectives are geared at gradual improvements in the
methods and mechanisms of administering a country and a better level in the delivery
of goods and services to the citizens.
Efforts to introduce reforms in the administrative system of Bangladesh have been
greatly influenced by the history, tradition and culture of the country. Until 1947, the
area now comprising Bangladesh was a part of the British empire. Subsequently, the
control over the area was assumed by the Pakistani rulers, and public administration
continued to be conducted on principles and assumptions which were somewhat similar
to the British tradition. There were expressed signs of dissatisfaction over the practice of
administration and the nature of governance experienced by the residents of Bangladesh
(then called East Bengal), mainly on grounds of access and participation by the natives.
Bangladesh became an independent state in 1971 and several attempts have been
made to overhaul various parts of the system of public administration. Judging by the
stated objectives, these reforms were expected to result in vast improvements in the
administrative system. Unfortunately, the outcome of such efforts has been far from
satisfactory. This paper seeks to conduct a review of such efforts made at improving
public administration in Bangladesh and identify the causes which contributed to this
outcome. Arnold noticed the dual purpose of reform, one of which is explicit, i.e. the
repair of administration, while the other is implicit and "addresses political tensions ...".4
The "declared or undisclosed" goals of the government, identified by Quah 5 as an

* Ahmed Shafiqul Huque, Ph.D., is Associate Professor and Associate Head, Department of
Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong.
86 • Asian Journal of Political Science

important factor, will be useful in this case. An examination of the efforts to transform
an administrative system of a colonial nature to one suitable for an independent modern
state should be useful for this purpose. Several countries in the developing world have
undergone the similar experience of a transition from a colonial system, as well as
political instability, including stints of rule by the military. The experience of Bangladesh
may provide useful insight into the nature of the problems faced and the paper will put
forward suggestions for overcoming the problems.

Public Administration in Pre- and Post-Independence Bangladesh

Colonial public administration, in the early days, did not entail complicated activities.
The principal emphasis was on extracting resources and transferring those to the parent
country. In modern societies, the transfer of resources is accomplished in a subtle
manner, taking the form of award of contracts, concessions and business privileges to
preferred parties. Whatever form it takes, maintenance of law and order acquires prime
importance. The cost of administering a colony has to be raised from the administered
region. Consequently, a well-organized system of revenue administration must be in
place.
Bangladesh has a long history of colonial rule, and the first attempt at establishing
a systematic administrative structure was under Mughal rule in the sixteenth century.
Ahmed found that the Mughals "developed a body of officials who were assigned to
perform certain fixed responsibilities in the royal household, at the centre and at various
tiers of state administration of the empire; these officials were recruited on the basis of
certain established criteria, i.e. merit, expertise and experience, and were employed on
free contract subject to periodic transfer from one post to another and one place to
another".6 The British further streamlined the system in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries to develop an efficient administrative machinery which was instrumental in
holding together the empire's interests. It should be noted that "the advent of British
rule gradually and consistently ushered in an era of rule of law and an institution of civil
service based on legal-rational criteria".7 Ali has classified the nature of changes during
the British rule into three discrete phases. While the first phase (1793-1833) "largely
coincided with the degree of control exercised by the British Government over the East
India Company", the second (1834-1855) reflected the control exercised over the
administration of India "through legislation governing the recruitment policy, pay and
discipline of the services". However, the most interesting phase (1855-1892) was
"marked by controversies surrounding the recruitment policy, Indianization of public
service and creation of provincial services".8
Following the departure of the British in 1947, the Pakistani rulers continued to
pursue similar policies. The result was a public administration system that was aloof and
removed from the public. Khan identified a number of features, including the imperial
heritage, British officers' control over key positions, negative attitudes towards politicians,
the elite character of the administrators and a paternalistic attitude toward people, that
were predominant in public administration in Pakistan after the departure of the
British.9 These features continued well into the 1960s, with West Pakistani officers
controlling the system of public administration instead of the British civil servants.
 Ahmed Shafiqul Huque • 87

The political system of Pakistan was also viewed as imbalanced by the residents of
the Eastern wing. Within a short period of achieving independence, Pakistan started to
experience political turmoil. It took nine years to frame the first constitution of Pakistan,
and the process was marked by bitter debates and factional squabbles. The representation
of East Pakistan in the higher political, administrative and military positions was minimal.10
The relationship between East Pakistan (Bangladesh] and West Pakistan continued to
become increasingly strained, and the West-dominated political elite chose to pursue a
policy of economic, political and cultural domination over Bangladesh.
Resistance to such domination gradually became evident, and meanwhile, Pakistan
suffered from political instability and military intervention. One of the principal causes
of resentment was political and economic disparity between the two wings of Pakistan,
which was being perpetrated by the powerful military-bureaucratic alliance that ruled
Pakistan. Naturally, in the movement against domination by the West, the administrative
system was frequently held to be at fault and criticized. Political parties and leaders from
East Pakistan voiced their disapproval of the administrative set-up and machinery of
Pakistan, and repeatedly expressed their intention to overhaul the system and establish
a people-oriented administration.
The machinery of administration that passed on from the Pakistani rulers to the
leaders of the new country, Bangladesh, was similar in structure and spirit to that of
other colonial administrative systems. "It was elitist in composition, narrow in outlook,
insulated from the people, and nonresponsive to the political leadership, as well as
corrupt, antiquated, high-handed, and obsessed with the preservation of its status and
privileges."11
One of the most remarkable accomplishments of independent Bangladesh was the
framing and adoption of a constitution for the new country within a year. Considering
the fact that the constitution departed radically from the constitutions of Pakistan, the
framers had to work very hard to present an entirely different system to the public. The
constitution had to meet the expectations of the citizens which were heightened by the
nine-month war of liberation. The constitution laid out the fundamental principles of
state policy, ensured rights for the citizens, prescribed the roles for the Executive,
Legislature and the Judiciary, and among other issues, laid down rules and provisions for
guiding the "Services of Bangladesh".12 The Constitution also provided for the
establishment of a Public Service Commission "to conduct tests and examinations for
the selection of suitable persons for appointment to the service of the Republic", and
advise the President.13 The Constitution laid down the guidelines for establishing a
political system based on the principles of democracy, nationalism, socialism and
secularism. The mood of the nation was in favour of major changes after the war of
liberation, an extremely popular government was in office and expectations of the
public were heightened by the rhetoric employed by political leaders who expressed the
determination to replace the traditional colonial style of government with a modern,
public-oriented system.
88 * Asian Journal of Political Science

Administrative Reform in Bangladesh

With the establishment of a government in Bangladesh in late 1971, a Civil Administration
Restoration Committee (CARC) was formed to recommend ways for re-establishing
and revitalizing the administrative system. Within a short period, the CARC submitted
its recommendations for a secretariat with 20 ministries and for the rehabilitation of
administration at the field levels. The recommendations, which provided no significant
departure from the system established by the Pakistan government, indicated the
difficulties that could be expected in introducing radical changes, particularly with civil
servants in crucial positions.
Soon the volatile situation settled and the Bangladesh Awami League, under the
leadership of Shiekh Mujib, assumed control. With a regular political system in place, a
more serious attempt at reorganization was made with the establishment of the
Administrative and Services Reorganization Committee (ASRC) in March 1972 to
consider the present structure of various services and the amalgamation of all Civil
Services (other than Defence) into one unified service. The ASRC was also expected to
determine the principles of integration of the personnel of various services in the new
structure and the future recruitment policy in the government services at various levels,
keeping in view the educational and other job requirements. The ultimate objective was
to prepare and recommend a comprehensive scheme for administrative reorganization.14
As the ASRC commenced its task, a National Pay Commission (NPC) was
appointed in July 1972. The NPC was to review the existing pay structure of all
employees in the public sector and recommend a national pay structure. This would be
done by keeping in view the cost of living, resources at the disposal of the government,
the need to reduce the disparity between the highest and lowest income groups, the
importance of attracting talented and qualified personnel to the public sector and
retaining them, efficiency, equity and incentives for work, and the demand and supply
in respect of different professions and occupations.
Following a military coup in 1975, Bangladesh experienced a change of government.
The situation was chaotic for some time, but by 1976, the new government under
General Ziaur Rahman was on the way to consolidating its position. In an effort to win
over the support of public sector employees, particularly the powerful bureaucracy, the
new government constituted a Pay and Services Commission (P&SC) in February 1976.
The P&SC was given the task of recommending a suitable service structure for the civil
services as well as the methods of recruitment, training and placement, and developing
rational and simple principles for the amalgamation of the employees of the formerly
(from the Pakistani period) central and provincial governments performing similar
duties and functions.
A third task of the Commission was to recommend a suitable pay structure and
fringe benefits for the traditional public services as well as employees of autonomous
and semi-autonomous bodies, statutory corporations, the universities (non-teaching
posts) and nationalized enterprises.15
General Zia later formed and led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party which was
removed from power through a bloodless coup in 1982. The new military government,
led by General Ershad, who later founded and led the Jatiya Party, set up a Martial Law
 Ahmed Shafiqul Huque • 89

Committee for Examining Organizational Set-Up of Ministries/Divisions, Departments,

Directorates and Other Organizations under Them (MLC). This cumbersomely entitled
Committee was entrusted with the difficult task of reviewing and recommending a
charter of duties for public officials, and scrutinizing existing and sanctioned manpower
up to section level in relation to actual requirements. Other tasks of the Committee
included the review of requirements and use of vehicles and telephones by public
organizations as well as matters related to office accommodation and equipment. The
MLC was to record observations on administrative inefficiency, irregularities and
recommend steps to improve efficiency.16
Shortly afterwards, the government sought to demonstrate its commitment to
substantial change in the administrative system, and constituted a Committee for
Administrative Reform/Reorganization (CARR). The CARR was "to review the structure
and organization of the existing civilian administration with a view to identifying the
inadequacies of the system for serving the people effectively", and "recommend an
appropriate, sound and effective administrative system based on the spirit of devolution
and the objective of taking the administration nearer to the people".17
The system of local government underwent major changes following the
recommendations of the CARR. A programme of massive decentralization was introduced
and a number of steps were taken to facilitate the operation of local councils throughout
Bangladesh.18 Directly elected councils were established at the local level and the
machinery of administration was being brought nearer to the villages which constituted
the lowest level of units. The changes appeared to be taking root within a few years, but
unfortunately the new government that came into power following the general elections
in 1991 abolished the decentralized system.19
In keeping with the strategies adopted by its predecessors, the government set up
a National Pay Commission (NPC 1984) in 1984 to recommend a suitable pay structure
for public officials along with other benefits and retirement allowances. The Commission
was instructed to consider a number of things ignored by the previous Pay Commissions.
The NPC 1984 was supposed to consider the cost of living, educational expenses,
sources of government revenue, the need for attracting brilliant and efficient officials
and professional experts, and the need for increasing the efficiency of public sector
employees.20
General Ershad's government faced serious challenges to its claim for legitimacy
and the loss of support among the masses was becoming evident by late 1987.21
However, efforts to reform the system of public administration continued. One of the
measures was to abolish the Senior Service Pool in 1989 following an examination of the
Pool and concern over unequal prospects of promotion for officers of various services.
As an instantaneous attempt to revive popular support, another National Pay Commission
(NPC 1989) was constituted in 1989 with similar terms of reference to NPC 1984, but
its scope was expanded and included employees of autonomous organizations in addition
to all categories of employees of the public sector.
There have been other efforts at investigating the system and processes of public
administration and introducing changes, mainly with the encouragement and support of
international agencies. Two interesting examples can be drawn from the "Public
Administration Efficiency Study", jointly sponsored by the Government of Bangladesh
 90 • Asian Journal of Political Science

and the International Development Association [IDA) and undertaken in 1989, and the
"Public Administration Sector Study in Bangladesh", conducted in 1993 by the United
Nations Department of Development Support and Management Services.
The Efficiency Study covered a wide range of areas including standards of
performance, policy analysis and implementation, delegation of authority, staffing
procedures and training facilities. Focusing on the secretariat system and work procedure,
relationship between Ministries and Departments as well as Public Corporations, and
various aspects of project management, a number of constraints were identified. These
stemmed from cumbersome rules and regulations, limited knowledge as well as tardiness
of officials, poor co-ordination, excessive reliance on formal communications, a long-
winded process of appointment, limited training facilities and inefficient office layout.22
A large number of recommendations were made for each area covered in the study.
However, the vague and somewhat unrealistic nature of the recommendations appear to
have affected the prospect of implementation. The study made little impact on the
system of public administration and was soon forgotten after the major political changes
that took place in 1990-1991.
The UNDP Sector Study focused on the areas of organization and structure, civil
service management, decision-making issues, performance and accountability, and human
resources development, education and training. The study had some interesting findings
on the strengths of public administration in Bangladesh. It was found that there was
widespread concern for effectiveness and efficiency, commitment and fairness to equity,
willingness to build consensus and understanding, as well as commitment to continuous
improvement.23 Although it should be admitted that such qualities exist among some
administrators in Bangladesh, the number is negligible, not only due to their personal
characteristics, but also due to nature of the environment in which they operate.
The Sector Study, of course, identified several weaknesses which greatly outnumber
the strengths. These include inadequate system for defining functions, ineffective allocation
of resources, slow and complex decision-making processes, excessive centralization, lack
of information bases, lack of familiarity with proper relations between civil service and
politicians, and awkward central-local relationships. The weaknesses have not been
described in a clear manner and any agency would find it difficult to implement
measures to remedy them. The Sector Study, too, failed to make any contribution to the
improvement of the quality of public administration in Bangladesh.
Therefore, a number of efforts could be witnessed in the first two decades of the
birth of Bangladesh. In terms of intention, the plans were laudable as they were aimed
at improvement of the quality of public service. It is natural for governments to strive
. to establish administrative systems consistent with the aims and objectives of developing
nations. The reform attempts aimed for equality, efficiency and improvement of services.,
but the depth and breadth of the proposed reforms were too ambitious and appeared to
be beyond the capability of the governments in power. They could not be implemented
not only because of the rapidly changing environment in Bangladesh, but also because
of the miscalculation of the capacity of the system to absorb such major changes at such
short notice. Did the successive governments lose touch with reality? That is very
unlikely. Hence, it can be suggested that governments had their own agenda which
could have been different from the stated purposes of administrative reform.
 Ahmed Shafiqul Huque • 91

Stated and Hidden Agenda for Reforms

There have been several attempts at reforming the system of public administration in
Bangladesh. While most were undertaken at the initiative of the government, some can
be seen as the response to suggestions from external sources and international agencies.
Basically, the efforts can be categorized into two types. The government had to
demonstrate a commitment to improve the quality of administration and provide better
services to the citizens. This altruistic aim was complemented by efforts, mainly through
pay revisions, to win over and appease the citizens who were under tremendous pressure
to contend with inflation and rising prices.
The NPCs were merely attempts to appease the growing number of urban middle
class who were the most affected group in the face of rising inflation that could be
indirectly linked to the mismanagement of the economy. Successive governments viewed
this group as a potential source of problem as they possessed the capability of organizing
movements and destabilizing the system.
The NPC 1972 can be viewed as an additional effort by the government of
Bangladesh to introduce major changes in public administration along with the changes
to be proposed by the ASRC. The scope and impact of the ASRC will be discussed later
in this paper. The NPC 1972 was expected to respond to the newly enunciated state
principle of "socialism" by reducing "disparity between the highest and lowest incomes
in society".24
Pay reviews were used by subsequent governments to win over public sector
employees. It was clearly an attempt to cultivate the support of the vast number of
public sector employees by a military government that came to power through
unconstitutional means by removing the first popularly-elected government of Bangladesh.
Moreover, the recommendations departed from those of NPC 1972 in the sense that it
resulted in "a massive increase in the disparity between the highest and the lowest
levels".25
A similar strategy was adopted after the next coup brought to power yet another
military government in 1982. After overcoming initial resistance to its claim to power,
the regime announced some ambitious ventures in reforming the administrative system
and constituted the MLC and CARR. These were followed by the NPC 1984 which
recommended further pay increases for public sector employees. Following a country-
wide movement for the removal of the government from power in 1987, the NPC 1989
was constituted in yet another effort to win the support of public employees. Therefore,
it is evident that most pay review attempts made by the governments of Bangladesh
were directed primarily at appeasing the urban middle class, winning support of the
public sector employees, responding to crises in governance and consolidating the
position of the regime in power.
The other efforts at reforming the administrative system could be viewed as more
substantial as they tried to deal with basic problems. The ASRC was given the most
difficult task of diagnosing the problems of administration and recommending reform
measures.26 The ASRC, in keeping with the newly enunciated state principle of socialism,
recommended a single, classless grading structure with a pay scale established for each
classified position that would be based on qualifications, skills and responsibilities.27
92 • Asian Journal of Political Science

In spite of the enthusiasm and support for major changes, the report of the ASRC
was not implemented. The circumstances had changed considerably by 1973 when the
Committee submitted its report. The inexperienced government had come to realize
that it could not afford to antagonize the bureaucracy whose expertise and experience
were found to be invaluable for the survival of the regime. Meanwhile, the position of
the government had weakened over the past year and opposition to the regime was
becoming evident. "This necessitated increasing the dependence of the political leadership
on the generalist civil servants" who were "able to convince the political leadership to
maintain the status quo and reject outright the prescriptions for reform as recommended
by ASRC".28
Thus, the most ambitious effort to transform public administration in Bangladesh
faltered as the position of the government became weak, economic problems surfaced
in rehabilitating the war-ravaged country and the civil servants decided not to co-
operate with a scheme that would diminish their standing in the system. The ASRC had
stated in clear terms that the inherited bureaucracy was not suitable for rapid development
or meeting the needs of the Bangladesh government. The recommendations of NPC
1972 were partially adopted — "some were not (accepted) due to objections of the
senior generalist bureaucrats who saw their status being reduced by the new pay policy"
while those of the ASRC were totally ignored and subsequently shelved.29 In fact, the
lengthy report of the ASRC was classified as secret and public circulation of the
document was not permitted.
The P&SC was constituted under changed circumstances. General Zia's government
was determined to move away from the state principles of socialism and secularism. The
country suffered from gross mismanagement over the first four years of independence
and people's confidence in political leadership had been eroded. The first military
government of Bangladesh, similar to military governments elsewhere, was putting the
blame for all problems on the politicians.
However, even in such a situation, the P&SC emphasized the need for public
service to be subservient to political leadership and proposed a four-tier structure based
on the nature of work, degree of responsibility and level of qualification.30 The four tiers
were to be subdivided into 29 cadres and each of these would perform a particular set
of functions. The Committee also recommended the creation of a "super cadre" at the
top level with officials of "superior intellect" and "vision" from each of the cadres.
Most of the recommendations of the P&SC were accepted with minor
modifications, but some of these took a long time to implement as the government had
to consider the views of the senior bureaucrats who had regained their position of power
in the system. Ultimately, 28 services were set up under 14 main cadres, a Senior
Services Pool was established and a new national grade and scales of pay were introduced.
A few years later, following an examination of the structural organization and concern
over unequal prospects of promotion of officials of the various services, the Senior
Services Pool was abolished in 1989. Some reorganizations took place in the Public
Service Commission, and the Establishment Division, mainly responsible for the
management of the civil service, was elevated to the status of a Ministry. "In the public
sector, to lessen overhead costs and duplication of functions and to increase productivity,
the number of public corporations were [sic] reduced through mergers; some, considered
redundant, were closed down".31
 Ahmed Shafiqul Huque • 93

The MLC played a significant role in introducing major changes in the system of
public administration in Bangladesh. It had the scope to identify areas of superficiality
and redundance, and was given the task of examining the organizations and functions of
administrative agencies and recommending measures for efficiency in the public service.
The Committee "found many cases of inefficiencies and irregularities", and recommended
a reduction in the number of ministries from 44 to 10, and in the number of civil
servants, particularly those at the lower levels at the Secretariat, from 9,440 to 6,118.
It also suggested a reduction in the layers of decision-making in the secretariat and other
executive organizations, the formalization and regularization of the recruitment process
and the delegation of financial and administrative powers to the lower levels.32
In 1982, the government appointed a Committee for Finalization of the
Reorganization of Ministries/Divisions and Public Statutory Corporations (CFRMDPSC)
for examining the recommendations of the MLC and finalizing the revised organizational
arrangements as recommended. The government reportedly approved the suggestions of
the MLC but problems were encountered in the process of implementation. Initially,
the number of ministries was reduced, although not as drastically as suggested by the
MLC. But as General Ershad's government sought political legitimacy, political
personalities were wooed with offers of ministerial positions, leading to a resurgence in
the number of ministries to accommodate supporters of the regime. The task of
reduction of employees could not be effective as it raised discontent among the public
employees, and again, for political reasons, the government decided not to pursue this
objective.
The CARR proposed a decentralized system of administration with elected local
government institutions that would be empowered to plan and implement projects at
the local level. This was seen as an effective method of encouraging popular participation
in administration. The CARR also recommended the elimination of unnecessary levels
of administration at the division and sub-division levels.33
In view of the fact that most reform attempts fizzled out at the implementation
stage, the CARR recommended a National Implementation Committee to oversee the
execution of the reform plans. There were several advantages for the ruling group to be
reaped from these proposals. The government was looking for a support base among the
vast rural electorate, and reorganization and institution of new councils at the local level
could provide the opportunity to win over the local leaders.34 The idea of decentralization
carried a democratic flavour and it could be used to enhance the image of the military
government. Moreover, it was clear that the proposed changes would not cause disruption
in the existing system or dissatisfaction among the senior public officials.
Consequently, the recommendations of the CARR were viewed very favourably
by the government and a National Implementation Committee for Administrative
Reorganization/Reform (NICARR) was constituted to direct, oversee and monitor the
implementation of the reform. The local government system was reorganized to provide
for popularly elected Chairmen for the new councils and the deployment of public
officials to assist with planning and implementing projects at the local level.
94 • Asian Journal of Political Science

Conditions for Administrative Reform

In addition to the seven major reform efforts, there have been several small-scale efforts
to introduce changes in various sections of the administrative system. Local and
international consultants have made recommendations on the level of efficiency,
organization and function of central and local governments, decision-making, performance
and accountability, patterns of financial expenditures and a number of other issues. The
number of ministries and divisions has been increased and decreased, but "such changes
have not followed any logic or rationale".35 It can be said that administrative reforms in
Bangladesh have not been particularly effective. There have been attempts to bring
about comprehensive changes immediately after independence. The ASRC provided a
grand design for introducing significant changes, but the government was not in a strong
position to implement the radical changes. The inexperience of the ruling political party
at governing added to the dependency on the senior civil servants. The Committee
constituted by a democratically-elected government faced obstacles from several quarters.
Similarly, recommendations of the P&SC and MLC could not be implemented in
full. These Committees were initiated by military governments who were not constrained
by political considerations. Both these Committees were able to draw upon the Report
of the ASRC, but the recommendations differed in the light of the changed circumstances
and inclinations of the governments in power. It was possible to implement some of the
recommendations of the P&SC and the MLC. But as the military governments tried to
establish their claim to legitimacy, they became more political in nature. Consequently,
the recommendations had to be watered down to appease the political allies of the
rulers. The senior civil and military bureaucrats resisted any move that could affect their
positions.36
In terms of successful implementation of reforms, the CARR fared very well. The
recommendations suited the interests of the military government in power, provided an
opportunity to win over the rural leaders, and the idea of decentralization was becoming
increasingly popular with the donor agencies whose support was vital in administering
a poor country. The move did not adversely affect the senior civil servants as the
proposals would entail changes mainly in the field administration outside the capital.
The establishment of a Committee for implementation was an additional advantage and
the reform appeared to be successful. However, with a change of government in 1991,
the present government has abolished the new level of local government introduced by
the CARR recommendations. Hence, changes of government tend to work against the
successful implementation of administrative reforms.
Taking into account the experience of Bangladesh, a number of observations can
be made with reference to reforms in public administration. Firstly, political direction is
an important element in reforming public administration. Political leadership should
have a clear vision of the goals toward which they are directing the country. In
formulating plans for overhauling the system, they should take into consideration the
needs and mood of the country as well as the capability of the government to introduce
and sustain major changes.
Secondly, political stability is an essential condition for administrative reform.
Numerous changes took place in Bangladesh as military and civilian governments ruled
 Ahmed Shafiqul Huque • 95

the country intermittently and 12 amendments were made to the constitution of the
country over 20 years. As governments holding different ideological inclinations came to
power, their approach to reforms initiated previously changed and new programmes
were cancelled. Smooth transfer of power through the electoral process can contribute
to the confidence of the citizens as well as key actors involved in public administration.
Thirdly, administrative reform, to be successful, must have the support of the
members of the public service. In Bangladesh, the ASRC recommended changes that
would affect the position of the bureaucracy while the political leadership had been
extremely critical of that institution. The problem was further complicated as the
government indirectly added to the divisions within the bureaucracy by favouring the
officials who participated in the war of liberation.37 Most of the senior civil servants were
out of favour with the government and consequently did not co-operate with the
administrative reform efforts. Harmony within the civil service as well as sound
understanding between the political leaders and administrators is essential for such an
endeavour.
Fourthly, the state of the economy can influence the process and outcome of
administrative reform. As the resources of the government of poor countries are depleted
in taking care of other more pressing areas of concern, administrative reform does not
feature high on the list of priorities. Bangladesh has never been able to recover from the
economic problems that began with the rehabilitation of over 3 million people who had
left the country in 1971. Natural disasters that strike the country regularly add to the
problem. Moreover, the spending priorities of the military governments result in a drain
on the exchequer.38 This has • significant impact on the state of the economy of
impoverished countries.
Finally, governments must set realistic goals to be achieved through administrative
reforms. In Bangladesh, committees and commissions constituted for planning
administrative reforms were given too ambitious terms of reference. "The terms of
reference of the ASRC were too broad given the small number of persons on the
Committee and the limited time made available to it".39 Similarly, other bodies were
restrained by the nature of membership (often dominated by civil-military bureaucratic
personnel], consideration of the position of the ruling elite and deference to the interests
of the bureaucracy. Changes in public administration must be planned and implemented
within the realm of reality and practicality.
Administrative reforms, therefore, should be planned with a long-term view and
realistic targets, and the planners should have a clear vision of the direction toward
which the system is progressing. The state of the economy should not be ignored as it
is also a vital element for planning and implementing effective reform measures. Efforts
should be made to elicit the co-operation of a cohesive civil service which is essential for
introducing major changes in public administration. Finally, plans for administrative
reforms should not be too ambitious and must take a realistic view of the expectations
and the limitations of the system.
96 • Asian Journal of Political Science

Notes
1
The author would like to thank an anonymous referee for Asian Journal of Political Science for
his/her valuable comments which were extremely useful in revising the paper.
2
Jon S.T. Quah, "Administrative Reform: A Conceptual Analysis", Philippine Journal of Public
Administration, Vol. 20, No. 2 (January 1976), pp. 50-67.
3
P. Szanton, "So You Want to Reorganize the Governments?", in P. Szanton (ed.), Federal
Reorganization: What Have We Learned? (Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham House, 1981), pp.
1-24.
4
P.E. Arnold, "Reform's Changing Role", Public Administration Review, Vol. 55, No. 5
(September/October 1995), p. 407.
5 See Quah (1976), op. cit.
6
S.G. Ahmed, "A Typological Study of the State Functionaries under the Mughals", Asian
Profile, Vol. 10, No. 4 (August 1982), p. 342.
7
Ibid., pp. 344-345.
8
A.M.M.S. Ali, Aspects of Public Administration in Bangladesh (Dhaka: Nikhil Prakashan,
1993), pp. 1-2.
9
M.M. Khan, Bureaucratic Self-Preservation: Failure of Major Administrative Reform Efforts in the
Civil Service of Pakistan (Dhaka: University of Dhaka, 1980), pp. 114-121.
10
R. Jahan, Pakistan: Failure in National Integration (New York: Columbia University Press,
1972), pp. 24-28.
11
Habib Zafarullah, "Public Administration in the First Decade of Bangladesh: Some Observations
on Development and Trends", Asian Survey, Vol. 27, p. 459.
12
Government of Bangladesh, Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (as amended up
to 10 October 1991) (Dhaka: Bangladesh Government Press, 1991), Part IX.
13
Ibid., Article 140.
14
Government of Bangladesh, Report of the Administrative and Services Reorganization Committee,
Part I: The Services (Dhaka: Bangladesh Government Press), pp. iii-iv.
15
Government of Bangladesh, Report of the Pay and Services Commission, Part I: The Services
(Dhaka: Bangladesh Government Press, 1977).
16
Government of Bangladesh, Report of the Martial Law Committee for Examining Organizational
Set-Up of Ministries/Divisions, Departments, Directorates and Other Organizations under Them,
Phase I (Ministries/Divisions) (Dhaka: Bangladesh Government Press, 1982), p. i.
17
Government of Bangladesh, Report of the Committee for Administrative Reorganization/Reform
(Dhaka: Bangladesh Government Press, 1982), p. i.
18
For details, see A.S. Huque, "Administrative Decentralisation", in H. Zafarullah, M.A. Taslim
and A. Chowdhury (eds.), Policy Issues in Bangladesh (New Delhi: South Asian Publishers,
1994), pp. 21-28.
19
M.M. Alam, A.S. Huque and K. Westergaard, Development through Decentralization in
Bangladesh, Evidence and Perspective (Dhaka: University Press Limited, 1994), p . 18.
20
The Bangladesh Observer, 1 J u n e 1 9 8 4 .
21
See A.S. H u q u e a n d M.Y. Akhter, "Militarisation a n d Opposition in Bangladesh: Parliamentary
A p p r o v a l a n d Public Reaction", Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, V o l . 2 7 ,
No. 2 (1989), pp. 172-184.
22
I. M . Mostafa, "Public Administration Efficiency Study in Bangladesh" (unpublished paper,
n.d.), pp. 4-7.
23
United Nations Development Programme, Report on Public Administration Sector Study in
Bangladesh (United Nations Department of Development Support and Management Services,
July 1993), p. iv.
24
Government of Bangladesh, Report of the Administrative and Services Reorganization Committee,
1973, Volume I, p. 2.
 Ahmed Shafiqul Huque • 97

25
Zafarullah, op. cit., p. 4 7 1 .
26
M.M. Khan and Habib Zafarullah, "Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Intransigence in
Bangladesh", in G.E. Caiden and H. Siedentopf (eds.), Strategies for Administrative Reform
(Massachusetts: D.C. Heath, 1982), p . 140.
27
Government of Bangladesh, Report of the Administrative and Services Reorganization Committee,
1973, p . 2 5 .
28
M . M . Khan, "Resistance to Administrative Reform in Bangladesh, 1972-1987", Public
Administration and Development, Vol. 9 (1989), p . 3 0 3 .
29
Zafarullah, op. cit., p . 4 6 6 .
30
Government of Bangladesh (1977), o p . cit., p . 5 3 .
31
Zafarullah, op. c i t , p . 4 7 2 .
32
M . M . Khan, "Politics of Administrative Reform and Reorganization in Bangladesh", Public
Administration and Development, Vol. 7 (1987), p . 352.
33
G o v e r n m e n t of Bangladesh, Report of the Martial Law Committee, 1982, p p . 1 4 7 - 1 4 8 .
34
A.S. Huque, "The Illusion of Decentralization: Local Administration in Bangladesh",
International Review of Administrative Sciences, V o l . 5 2 ( 1 9 8 6 ) , p p . 7 9 - 9 5 .
35
A.M.M.S. Ali (1993), op. cit., p. 59.
36
A.S. Huque and F. Ahmed, "Public Personnel Administration: Tradition, Problems and Issues
in Bangladesh", Asian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 14 (1992), pp. 25-45.
37
Ibid.
38
Huque and Akhter (1989), op. cit.
39
Zafarullah, op. cit., p. 465.

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