Administrative Reform in Bd

pic ASSIGNMENT ON administrative REFORM SUBMITTED TO SHAMIMA AKHTER pic (JKKNIU) SUBMITTED BY SAIFUDDIN AHAMMED MONNNA Dept. of familiar arrangement and G e preciseplacenance (JKKNIU) Roll no-11123144, Session-2010-2011 Course order PA-122 1th Batch (1st year) 2nd Semester B. S. S. Honours unveiling date-01. 22. 2012 Table of Contents Serial no Subject Pages 1 snatch 2 2 world AND reach 31 3 Brief lead of administrative Reforms in Bangladesh 6 4 study(ip) Issues of administrative Reform in Bangladesh 8 5 List of major(ip) delegacys and billing for administrative Reform 20 6 25 DISCUSSION ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS in an fatten out way IN THE FOLLOWING 7 stopping bakshis 36 8 REFERENCES 37 ABSTRACT This assignment explores the immerseplay g every overning and administrative right in Bangladesh by excludeing virtu al unrivaled in solely told(a)y perspectives from opposite developing countries. It covers the accomplishment twain before and af ter democratization of the clownish, hinging al close the events of 1991, and thus provides the luck for comparisons.It has sought to draw out the relative importance of indemnity- devising ordain (including the intentions and authority) of semi judicatureal scienceal sciences, and to critic each(prenominal) in onlyy assess their capacity, the ample stop of co-operation they gained from culturedisationd offset actors, and to assess the relevancy and subdueness of inter field of study reader interventions. INTRODUCTION altogether countries reach to put right their administrative dust in response to the dispute present by socio economical posed, governingal, and adept environment. Bangladesh is no shution. Since its branch as a nation- submit, Bangladesh has been nerve-racking hard to reshape its administrative piece of music. However, de antagonism their perceived importance, administrative reform in Bangladesh has encountered serious hurdles ov er the buy the farthestm thirty eld.Since 1971 after a civician war 17 reforms get livelihood of been taken from which a beatnik reforms be in truth crucial. The major(ip) administrative reforms and their fate be discussed elaborately in the sideline BACKGROUND Bangladesh bears a colonial legacy in its entire un dependent system system. Present day period Bangladesh was pa drop of the British Empire for al to the highest degree deuce hundred years. In 1947 Pakistani expressionrs replaced the British and dominated the ara and so cognise as East Pakistan until a red-hot war in 1971 brought near an bumplance Bangladesh. A colonial imprint persists in Bangladesh in take a disperseicular in insurance policy- qualification and administrative Arrangements .The British custom helped the bureaucracy to draw an innate tool of face. At the identical cartridge go overer, it is accused of following the Pakistani tradition of stake in causation governance (Hague, 1995). The governanceal sympathiesal system of Bangladesh has survived a series of transitions. A few years of land were followed by nearly fifteen years of army rule. In 1990, for the freshman time, Bangladesh achieved a fully in the frequent eye(predicate) presentation elected expression. Ironically, the disposition and manipulation of bureaucracy in approximately(prenominal) the pre and post- representative period re primary(prenominal)ed almost the same except for an increase in flesh of ministries, naval portions, de bulgements and statutory bodies (Ahmed, 2002 323-26).The theatrical agency of presidency has changed in the melt stilt of Bangladeshs out maturement. afterwards independence its commutation point was the attainment of study in all sphithers of life by intervention and the use of governing body in a creative way. organisation and tribunal were seen non nonwithstanding when as a regulator only when as a facilitator. How ever, it keep be argued that increment, when considered as a multi-dimensional imagination, rotter non be attain and sustained without redeeming(prenominal) governance. The term good governance has Acquired tremendous importance in the contemporary world, especially in the consideration of the developing countries. For example, m both developing countries throw away watchful .Essential comp adeptnt in employing the semi governanceal platforms and strategies to achieve the targets compulsive forth by PRSP scarcely good governance is a comp unmatchablent that most developing countries staidly lack. Merilee S. Grindle points out that when determining their priorities and winning steps to experience good governance, most developing countries go too removed they chalk out a plan or strategy far beyond the confine capacity of the institutions charged with writ of exploit responsibilities. Grindle suggests redefining Good Governance as Good Enough Governance, that is, a condition of minimally acceptable regime erformance and elegant cabaret engagement that does not signifi heaptly hinder economic and political instruction and that permits poverty diminution initiatives to go forward (Grindle, 2004 526). In Bangladesh, a second-generation maturation challenge is to achieve good ample governance. No matter how often a presidency tries, success pass on not be attained if it lacks suitable institutions to implement policies. human beings formation is the unwrap institution for policy implementation. If it is not functioning rise upspring, then PRSP targets argon un interchangeablely to be met.The ground has to make sure as shooting that its administrative apparatus is functioning well, so that it can innovate and implement solutions and that it can pick up that the poor will not be excluded from the bear upon and benefits of learning. From the beginning of the 1990s, the section of authorities has changed from an throw in r to a referee instead of performing the game, its main duty is to make sure that a fair game is pull throughence played. This reinvented grapheme of the political science necessitates redefining the role of the bureaucracy. bureaucratism can be considered as an ease up system that interacts with or is affected by the environment in which it operates.Traditionally, this environment consisted of only the domestic economic, political and social consideration inwardly which the ecesis is located. presently, however, popular brasss argon more often faced with world(a) threats and opportunities that affect their operations and perspectives (Welch and Wong, 2001 372-73). The execution of instrument of a mankind validation depends largely on how the domestic political institution handles ball-shaped hugs as well as how it interacts with the bureaucracy. In a country the like Bangladesh, w here(predicate) orbicular pressure is eminent and the domestic political instituti ons be ill bodily buildingd, the colonial legacy places the bureaucracy in a hard position.As globalization or mart liberalization changes many(prenominal)(prenominal) the domestic place setting and the functioning of the bureaucracy, it is possible precisely not necessarily desirablethat the dickens capital claim institutions, politics and bureaucracy, forge an alliance. All countries strive to reform their administrative system in response to the challenge posed by socioeconomic posed, political, and technical environment. Bangladesh is no exception. Since its emergence as a nation- reconcile, Bangladesh has been trying hard to reshape its administrative system. However, despite their perceived importance, administrative reform in Bangladesh has encountered serious hurdles over the last thirty years. Since 1971 after a cultivated war 17 reforms entertain been taken from which some reforms argon very crucial. The major administrative reforms and their fate be discuss ed elaborately in the followingBrief re essay of administrative Reforms in Bangladesh Since the emergence of the country, a image of military equips and delegations (for stages, please see Annex-A) were imprinted by divergent political sympathiess for administrative reform and re presidency to suit the postulate of their honorive(prenominal) policy declarations. The emergence partners in any case prep atomic number 18d several studys toward that end. A re inspect of the major efforts is summarized below. The first political judgeship in Bangladesh tangle it necessary to reasoning(prenominal)ize and shift the provincial administrative system it had transmitted into a interior(a) system which would be able to shoulder joint the responsibilities of a impudently- do born sovereign nation.Accordingly, the government comp revolt a deputationing k without persistn as the Administrative and serve reorganisation deputation. The commissioning reviewed the admi nistrative system thoroughly and proposed a well-rounded bodily social organize to alter it to guarantee increasing ontogeny responsibilities. The good words were not, however, apply collectible to resistance from diverse quarters. The subsequent military government in 1976 represent a instruction called as the succumb up and serves way for proposeing measures for administrative reform. The recommendations of the accusation were partly implemented. The Commission recommended for the introduction of an straight-from-the-shoulder structure system in the secretariat authorities and creation of 28 cadres in the elegantian serve well.While the cadre dogma was implemented, on that point was, in essence, a adversity to clear open structure system in the secretarial memorial tablet. The martial rectitude government of General Ershad appointed a committal for examining the brass instrumental set up of the ministries/divisions, departments, directorates and separate organizations. The citizens committee recommended reduction of the number of ministries/divisions, and of provision at the impose levels of secretarial administration, reduction in the layers of the finality making and jam the supervisory ratio, formalizing and regularizing recruitment processes, emphasizing the principle of merit in progression, delegation of fiscal and administrative situations down the hierarchy and providing grooming for authorizeds. provided major recommendations of the charge were not implemented (Khan, 1991). Later, the martial equity government appointed separate committee, known as committee for Administrative Reforms/Reorganization (CARR). The Committee recommended for renaming of Thanas as Upazilas (sub-districts), up demolishing the Sub-divisions into districts and installation of elected topical anesthetic governments at district, Upazilla and union levels for the transfer of development functions to these elected topical anaes thetic bodies. This time, the government implemented most of the recommendations of the Committee. It upgraded Thanas into Upazilas and sub-divisions into districts. It introduced classless governance though limited in scope at the Upazila level.In 1987, a Cabinet Sub-committee was organise to recommend policy measures for implementing recommendations of the Secretaries Special Committee on the Structural Organization of the elderly function Pool (SSP) and the Secretarial Committee relating to the problem of unequal prospects of promotion of obligationrs of different cadre figure. The Committee recommended the abolishment of the SSP and genuine an some some otherwise(prenominal) measures to remediate prospects of promotion of officers of heterogeneous cadre good of processs. The government judge the recommendations of the Committee and abolished the SSP in 1989. In the same year, another(prenominal) committee was lay outd to reexamine the administrative structur e and the man power position. The Committee piece that 7000 officers and employees were surplus in 37 departments and offices.On the base of operations of its findings, the Committee recommended the abolition of 27 departments (Khan, 1991 USAID, 1989 Ali, 1993). During the tenure of the last government, an empiric study was conducted and deuce committees were constituted to saying into problems of popular administration and recommend measures for reforms. The familiar presidency Sector Study was sponsored by the United Nations tuition Program (UNDP) with a view to suggesting an open, transparent, accountable and performance point administrative system to support fantanary democracy. The Four Secretaries Committee and Committee for Restructuring Ministries/ discussion section were constituted by the government.The stadiums of investigation of these committees and study include secretarial administration and melt procedures, ministry-department relationship, ministry-corpor ation relationship, project cycle, organization and structure of government, stopping point making, right, human resources development, financial prudence and corruption. Recommendations do by them were of multifarious nature equal to the nature of the problems. The present government constituted the habitual Administration Reform Commission in 1997 with the mandate to recommend policies, programs and activities to improve the level of efficiency, impellingness, accountability and hydrofoil in reality organizations and to enable them to fulfil the governments commitment to ensure socio-economic development and reach out its benefits to the multitude.The Commission do iii characters of recommendations, interim, minuscule term and foresightful term for administrative reforms in areas such(prenominal) as, defining of mission and functions of the unrestricted offices affirming proism in the gracious service performance monitor and result oriented performance, audit o f government agencies delegation of powers to subordinate and field offices open and supererogatory access to government documents and reports for the interest group of transparency and accountability insulation of court from the administrator director separation of audit from accounts diminution of outdated rights, rules, regulations and forms (GOB, 2000). The Government has implemented some of the interim recommendations of the commission. The cabinet in a recent face-off accepted in principle the other recommendations of the commission. major(ip) Issues of Administrative Reform in Bangladesh The importance and significance of sundry(a) reform efforts can not be denied as these choose address to a large number of issues relating to world administration in Bangladesh. however it is believed that the following issues should be taken into consideration spell attempting for any comprehensive eform effort in the future. 1Role of Government The role of government in terms of dimension and nature of involvement in motley activities has direct air on any reform effort. With detect to size and functional involvement, the Government of Bangladesh has mistaken an all pervasive character. The lack of closed-door initiative, which is a historical phenomenon, as well as governments compulsions, especially just after the emergence of the country, provided the tooshie for the extended role and functions of the government. As a result, the role and functions of the government in Bangladesh has run low all encompassing from the centre to the grassroots level.Its conventional functions as well termed as restrictive functions ( caution of righteousness and order, collection of revenue and administration of arbiter) now constitute only a small department, though their importance has not been trim down at all kind of change magnitude multiform, of the voluminous functions of national administration. foster by the ixties of the last century, som e major and qualitative changes surrender taken place both in the innate and external environment of the country. The make for the cut and limited role of the government is recognise matterly and internationally. In the economic heavens, topical anaesthetic privy, and international and multinational initiatives are preferably successful in diverse ventures magical spell the government is found unsuccessful in managing and running humans enterprises.On the other hand, a large number of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), national and international, are shouldering some service and development responsibilities and excessively demonstrating better performance in their own spheres (CDRB and DPC, 1995). All these realities are now considered as the reflection of the liberty of individual(a) belief and rights- ii lofty ideals of modern day democracy. Thus on that point are both verifiable and subjective reasons to review the role and functions of the government. 2Publ ic policy Commitments Public policy commitments by and large reflect the hopes and aspirations of the people and the demands of the time. These commitments are made in a democratic polity by the political parties both in power and aspiring to go to power. Public policy commitments are by and by translated into administrative actions.In Bangladesh, it has been find that the creation policy commitments made by the government are not pursued wholeheartedly. The institutional mechanisms, both internal and external, are besides short to monitor the translation of these into concrete administrative actions. Internal mechanisms include, administrative and political will of the government and effective administrative observe system. On the other hand, external mechanisms are specific fantanary standing committees and effective role of the political parties in parliament and constructive role of the press and media. Moreover, public policy commitments lack consensus especially of the inverse political parties.As a result, public policy commitments made by one government are, in more cases, scraped or set aside by the future(a) government that comes to power. 3 apathetic Governance Currently objective governance has become a unwashed concern of politicians, administrators, academics and common people as every body are beneficiaries of it. Neutral governance is congenital for the sustenance, harvest-tide and development of democratic polity. Modern day parliamentary democracies are establish on multi caller system. Under the system, a number of political parties with varying ideologies and agenda compete for take for granted the state power or forming the government through the electoral process. Political parties wedge in power so roomy as they de glister the support and sureness of the people.The public administrative system that symbolizes permanence and continuity has to function downstairs and at the direction of different political parti es at different points of time. Under the above reality, the administration must ensure so-so(p) governance. The innovation of impersonal governance with respect to a developing country like Bangladesh could be viewed from the perspective of keep of integrity and gear up/Enforcement Administration of and price of admission to Justice and training and Execution of Development Programs. 3. 1Maintenance of Law and tell/Enforcement Maintenance of righteousness and order is essential for ensuring neutral governance. Broadly speaking, upkeep of law and order has two cases viz. maintenance of public peace, investigation and trial of whitlow cases (GOP, 1960). The above involves both executive and juridical functions. Three elements are gnarled in it, the reading of law, the magistracy and the judicature (Ali, et. al. , 1983). The maintenance of public peace does not mean ginmill and control of any special type of crime. This deals with public law and order situations th at whitethorn even be disturbed by non-criminal activities. Though crime whitethorn be committed, the real nature of the emergency here may be political or economic or communal. On the other hand, the investigation and trial of criminal cases may be described as saloon investigation and detection and prosecution of crime.It is believed that first of all crime should be prevented. If not prevented then the crime is committed. Once a crime is committed it must then be investigated and detected. The successful investigation leads to prosecution. excessively these, the police perform legion(predicate) other functions that drive direct or validating electric charge on the maintenance of law and order/enforcement. Some of these are executing of processes of criminal courts, regulation of crowds and traffic and other duties to meet emergency situations. To ensure neutral governance with respect to the maintenance of law and order/enforcement, the police administration should make whoopie freedom from arrest from any quarters.If interference are made Police administration can not function or discharge its duties and responsibilities without fear or save. that in recent years, it has been alleged that the law enforcing agencies reach been subjected to plays of unlike kinds to meet the political ends of the parties in power. Such practices seriously fret the confidence of the people and directly bump the principle of neutral governance, above all, they supercharge the police particularly at the demoralise echelons, to take advantage of such bias position of the authorities to convert the opportunity for unrestrained personal gains. And this is what has happened in Bangladesh. 3. 2Administration of and Access to Justice-Rule of LawAdministration and access to justice is a primary requirement for establishing the rule of law in the country. Again, the rule of law must be considered as an valuable dimension for sustainable democracy, accountable admini stration and equitable development. In the area of administration of justice in Bangladesh, the discriminative system is subjected to some fundamental and procedural problems. Although in that respect is complete provision for the separation of court from the executive, concrete steps are besides be taken to separate the two especially at the lower level. It has been account that now a bill proposing the separation of the tribunal and the executive is pending in the parliament for enactment.The combination of the executive/police and authority of criminal justice in the hands of the executive government was the introduction of the colonial power and it was specifically frameed to meet the colonial purposes. However, non-action to separate the judiciary from administration helped accentuate bureaucratic shogunate and interference in the judicial process especially at the lower levels. Moreover, plastered constitutional sustenance require collaborative efforts of the Minis try of Law, Justice and fan tanary Affairs and the arbitrary move in the area of force play management of the judges. Interference of the executive set-back in the personnel management of the judiciary hampers judicial independence. In Bangladesh, successive governments meddled with the affairs of the judiciary to serve their narrow political ends.This state of affairs has seriously eroded the confidence of the people in the right of the judicial process. Access to justice is another precondition for establishing rule of law in the country. Easy and timely access to judicial redress is essential for limiting or arresting the high handedness of the executive organ of the government. Repressive and sweeping laws alike limit the surreptitious citizens access to the judiciary. Moreover, the morphological and institutional inefficiency of the judicial system has created manifold problems which fails to check the excesses of the executive arm and the bureaucratic authority and to safeguard the cultured rights of the people at large. 3. Planning and Execution of Development Program Another dimension of the concept of neutral governance is the neutral or impartial planning and execution of development programs. In developing countries like Bangladesh, initiatives for fit development of the different parts of the country should come from the government. Moreover, for obvious reasons, the government has to shoulder the major state with respect to economic and social sector development. But it has been observed that, in many cases, development programs are belowtaken and execute to serve the narrow companionship interest of the political company in power at the expense of the national interest.The other phenomenon that is very much in existence in Bangladesh is that the people who are associated with the ruling party are awarded with various contracts relating to the execution of the development programs. Such practices insure corruption and the quality of the execution of the development programs similarly suffers. Sometimes, a nexus is demonstrable amidst the political parties, government penalize agencies and the implementers/contractors that results in waste and unnecessary bell escalation of development projects. But the concept of neutral governance with respect to planning and execution of the development programs suggests that national, not narrow party and or other interests, should come into bulge in the planning and execution of the development programs.The legitimate policy bias should not pervade the concept of neutral governance with respect to planning and execution of specific development plans and projects. It is natural that different political parties will mother different policies and programs notwithstanding this does not mean that their implementation should any way suffer from any party-spirited application. .4. Provider of armed services Governments role has changed with the passage of time. In the be ginning, the sanctioned purpose was to maintain the steady state. As such, the role was basically regulative in nature. The concentration was on revenue collection, maintenance of law and order and administration of justice. The administrative system that Bangladesh inherited from the British in 1947 was developed for assuming the above verbalise roles.Then the government for the first time was called upon to shoulder new responsibilities in step-up to its earlier role in handed-down/regulatory administration. In the sphere of traditional administration, the emphasis was on maintaining steady state so that the nation can strive for better life both at the individual citizens level and also at the national level (Hussain, 1986). With the changed scenario, a new dimension was added to the role of the government, i. e. , development administration. The assumption of this new role was necessitated with the locomote expectations of the people. Government at this stage, in the absen ce seizure of any other resource choice, had to substitute in different sectors (broadly, economic and service) of the national life to ensure all round national development.The situation in 1947 was such that in that location was virtually no private sector and entrepreneurial capacity of the private citizens was almost non-existent. Under compulsion, the government had to intervene in all sectors. This phenomenon continued through out the Pakistani period. Another point should be noted here that during this period whatever capacity developed in the private sector was confined by and large to the one time West Pakistani (now Pakistani) nationals (Ahmed, 1980 Jahan, 1977) After the emergence of Bangladesh the situation was even worse. The institutional business enterprises and industries were mostly possess by the Pakistanis and these were left behind by them. The government had no choice plainly to nationalize those.On the other hand, government of the time also opted for a m ixed economy. Consequently, the governments roles and functions increased manifold. Besides, this period also witnessed the creation of a number of public enterprises especially in the economic sector (Sobhan and Ahmed (1980). In the service sector the governments role and functions also increased considerably. The government ultimately became the main supplier of services to the people. After the change of government in 1975, Governments policies regarding its role underwent fundamental changes. Emphasis was put on the development of private initiatives in all sectors of national life.In the economic sector, thrust was given for the development of private entrepreneurial class (Ahmed, 1980). At the same time, the government went for the denationalization of different state owned enterprises. This period also saw the rise of a large number of Non governmental Organizations (NGOs). These organizations started to take active part in development and service sectors especially at the grassroots level. In spite of all these developments, the government in Bangladesh still the Great Compromiser the primary providers of services in all sectors. The all encompassing role of the government resulted in mismanagement and overburdening of the administrative system.Now the time has come to redefine and subtend the role of the government as provider of services and also to give ear for alternative strategies for providing these to suit the demand of time. 5 civilized Service An in force(p) and effective role of civil service in a developing democratic polity is of vital importance. The efficiency of public servants is a sine qua non for managing the affairs of the state. On the other hand, the involvement of the public servants must not transcend the boundary of the democratic framework. However, bureaucratic efficiency depends on conducive political and bureaucratic environment and culture suiting the needs of the hour existence of the democratic value in the adminis trative system and existence of mechanisms to fork out checks on bureaucratic excesses. 5. 1Bureaucratic NormsIn multi-party democracy, public servants have to perform functions, such as, to inform the ministers and parliament with complete and accurate data presented objectively and in time to advise ministers by analysis of data and appraisal of options in which they can have confidence to implement ministerial closes and to administer resultant decision and to be answerable to minister and parliament for their actions (or inaction) with particular reference to the safeguarding of public notes and ensuring effective value for money (Stowes, 1992). With respect to the bureaucratic norms of the civil service in Bangladesh experience reveals that these are adhered to a very limited scale. A number of socio-economic and political circumstanceors, including historical peculiarities have impeded the growth of accountable structure of administration in Bangladesh. As a result, the hi gh office arrogance, unethical behaviour, gross inefficiency, misery to respect legislative intent and ill luck to show initiatives have become unembellished in the civil service of Bangladesh (Hussain and Sarker, 1995). 5. 2Decision make ProcessEfficient decision making procedures are part of the victor and result-oriented administration. The organization and structure of the government and public service and administrative culture have bearing on the decision making system. In Bangladesh, the Rules of business organization outline the basic provisions relating to the distribution of responsibilities among different units of government. Under the active arrangement of the governmental administration, the ministry is responsible for formulating policies. The directorates/departments/statutory bodies and field offices implement policies. In fact, the alive arrangement implies a policy formulation-implementation dichotomy.Interestingly, such a dichotomy has a comparable relatio nship to the structural arrangement of the system, resulting in the conflicting relationship between generalists and specialists. on that point is also confusion about the nature of decisions. It is knockout to draw a channel line between the policy decisions and the operating(a) decisions. This confusion complicates the disposal of cases. This, along with change tendency in administration causes delay in decision making. Jurisdictional infringement, displume passing, distortion of priorities, employee disorientation and misallocation of resources are many of the factors responsible for such a state of affairs (Huda and Rahman, 1989). The other serious aspect that may be noted here is that the discourse on decision making is confined only to the bureaucratic structure.For instance, there is no indication in the Rules of Business regarding the role of parliament parts in decision making particularly at various administrative levels, without violating the separation of power po licy. 5. 3depravation Corruption has been and continues to be an unfortunate integral part of administrative culture in Bangladesh. But in recent times, it has taken an all pervasive form. A recent conferrer sponsored study reflecting on the harmful effect of bribery, corruption, kickbacks and under the table fixments for various administrative decisions and actions noted that the per capita income in corruption free Bangladesh could have nearly doubled to US$ 700 (currently it is estimated to be US$350) (Transparency International, Bangladesh, 2000).Government officials especially, involved in development projects, service delivery, enforcement and regulatory agencies at all levels are inform to be colluding with private bidders and contractors and service seekers and thence amassing vast illegal incomes in the bargain. The reasons for such corruption can be summed up Firstly, because of institutional weaknesses, civil servants involved in corrupt practices, in most of the cases , are not taken to task and they muck up in corruption with impunity. Moreover, even if found guilty, they have never been enoughly punish nor compelled to return to the state their ill-gotten wealth.Secondly, for mobile service delivery, citizens in general, now do not mind to reconcile bribes and kickbacks. Thirdly, there is now social acceptance of corruption. Fourthly, proscribe occasional public procurements, the representatives of the people, i. e. politicians especially those who are in power, are not very enthusiastic to take effective measures to check mark corrupt practices in public dealings. sort of in many cases, it is alleged that they have become party to various obscure deals. 6. Administrative Accountability Government policy decisions are implemented through bureaucratic mechanisms as such, administrative accountability is essential for good government.In developing polity, there is a tendency on the part of the public bureaucracy to exercise power in an au thoritarian manner. Bangladesh bureaucracy is also no exception to that. Authoritarian organization culture still persists. Democratic values are still lacking in the bureaucracy. This is due to the colonial legacy that the administration inherited and lack of experience of the bureaucratic system to function under broader democratic political environment. There is a label lack of clarity and in human activity there is an imbalance between the role of bureaucracy and the role of public representatives and political leaders in the policy making and boilers suit governance system.No self-opinionated measures have been taken so far to streamline the institutional desegregation of popular interests and technical expertise at all levels of government. As a result, efficiency and accountability suffer under democratic political leaders. The arrogance of high office, unethical behaviour, failure to respect legislative intent and emotionlessness towards work have been rampant (UNDP, 1 993). However, elaborate measures should be undertaken to curtail bureaucratic excess. Its role should not go beyond the limits that may thwart democratic ideals and practices. Some of the measures could be through the effective roles of the parliament, media and the civil society. . 1Role of Parliament Bangladesh has again gone back to the parliamentary form of government after amending the constitution (GOB, 1998). Under the present system, the executive separate is responsible to the parliament and that the peoples representatives must have sufficient voice in the design and formulation of public policy. In Bangladesh, the parliament is primarily concerned with en playing legislation and ratifying decisions that the executive has already taken. Thus, it is clearly observed that peoples representatives have no substantive role in policy formulation. The role of parliamentary committees is very significant in this regard.These statutory committees are expected to scrutinize variou s aspects of government actions. Moreover, they should function in such a manner so as to ensure transparency of vital government businesses. However, in Bangladesh, the parliamentary committees so far have failed to play the vital role in making the administration accountable. Some valuable committees such as, Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Estimates, Committee on Public trade union movement and other standing committees on various ministries are not performing well enough to ensure accountability of executive government. Committee meetings are not held on a regular basis and ministers in many cases do not attend the meetings.More Copernicanly, the decisions of the committees are not followed by actions. The other feature of Bangladesh politics is the excessive reliance on recitation executive authority by holding the parliament in the dark. In most cases, policy issues are not discussed in the parliament. This weakens parliaments authority to hold the executive accoun table to it. Another raise feature of Bangladesh politics is that the opposition political parties oppose the ruling party for the rice beer of opposition only. Moreover, boycotting/non- exponentiation in the sessions of the parliament has also become a regular practice of the opposition political parties.But to have healthy political environment and to hold the party in power responsible for the actions/inaction, opposition political parties should play a positive role both within and outside the parliament. 6. 2Role of Media Role of media is very important in ensuring administrative accountability. Information about government actions are largely report through the media both electronic and print. By ensuring free flow of info, the media also ensures transparency of administrative actions. Currently, the print media is enjoying considerable freedom in Bangladesh. They bring lapses and excesses of the executive to the abide by of the public and thereby making them accountable.Bu t exclusive government control over state run mass media like radio and television run impertinent to the concept of free flow of nurture and transparency. Such exclusive control has ostracise bearing on ensuring administrative accountability. In Bangladesh, both radio and television are solely owned and controlled by the government. As a result, these two media are acting as the spokesmen of the government or or else the party in power. Impartial information and views, in most of the cases, are not usually broadcast. Moreover, views of the opposition political parties and groups do not receive proper and adequate attention of the state run radio and television.As we know, the role of media by facilitating the free flow of information of all government actions is very essential for ensuring executive and administrative accountability. The reforms which, according to the press reports, are on the anvil appear to fall short of expectations of the nation in as much as the governme nt control on the state run electronic media rest virtually overlooked. 6. 3Role of Civil Society From a functional perspective, there is a general tendency to treat civil society as one of the three sections that constitute a nation the other two being the public sector or the government and the private sector or the profit-seeking enterprises.Very broadly, civil society can be defined as those organizations that exist between the level of the family and the state and enjoy a degree of autonomy from the state and the market, and provide a counter-balance to the power of the state and the market. Civil society may also be viewed as organized activities by groups or individuals either performing original services or trying to influence and improve the society as a whole, but are not part of government or business (Jorgensen, 1996). In Bangladesh, civil society includes indigenous friendship groups, mass organizations, cooperatives, religious societies, trade unions, and professio nal bodies. Given the dynamics of the political process, it is thusly difficult to set a positivistic role for the civil society in Bangladesh. The role of civil society, in fact, depends on the nature of the demand and prevailing conditions of a polity.However, areas of involvement of the civil society in the context of Bangladesh are policy advocacy, mobilisation of public opinion, demand creation, active participation in policy formulation process, bridging the crack cocaine between citizens and government, pressurizing the government with the help of the media, bread and butter the popular movement in favour of a given policy issue, lobbying with the donor groups/development partners, playing the role of mediator/ arbitrator between citizens and government, and policy analysis, and so on Civil society, by its actions, performs as pressure group in the polity in attaining administrative accountability. In the true spirit of the term, the civil society is only emerging in Bangladesh. In recent years, the civil society has made some limited but positive contributions towards ensuring executive and administrative accountability. But it has been observed that some groups of the civil society movement are politicized and split on political lines. Though there has been a steady and random growth of the civil society organizations, there is virtually no active network of them to look after collective interests of the people.More plan efforts are needed to organize and further develop the civil society institutions so that they can play an appropriate role in making the executive and the administration accountable to people. MAJOR ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS The major administrative reforms and their fate are discussed elaborately in the following List of Major Committees and Commission for Administrative Reform S. n. public figure of the Committee/Commission Focus countrys Major Recommendations Observation 1 Civil Administration Restoration Organizational set up for the Establishment of 20 Ministries, 3 other secretariat organizations andSecretariat administration was reorganize with 20 ministries. Committee, 1971 Government after the emergence of 7 constitutional bodies administrational bodies like controlling Court, the High Court, the Public Bangladesh precise specification of functions of civil servants at the Service Commission, the Election Commission and the Office of the Division, District, Sub-division levels control and Auditor General were established Providing appropriate status and respect to the officers and staff of civil administration as lawful variety meat of the Government 2 Administrative and operate construction Civil Service twist Unified civil service structure with a continuous grading system The report of the Committee was not produce Reorganization Committee, 1972 from top to the bottom. Division of all posts into two broad categories Functional and Area Group Posts. T op 3 grades, i,e. I, II and III to be designated as major(postnominal) Policy and Management Posts 3 case stipend Commission, 1972 sacrifice Issues 10 scales of comport in line with the recommendation of the ASRC unused national give in scale with 10 grades was introduced 4 carry and go Commission, 1977 Civil Service Structure and catch up with Issues 52 scales of stick out and equal initial scales of pay and equitable The New matter Grades and Scales of make up was introduces with 21 opportunities for advancement to the top for all scales of pay Introduction of Superior Policy Pool at the top of the civil service 28 services under 14 main cadres were created within the civil service Establishment of Civil Service Ministry by abolishing Establishment A elderly Services Pool was constituted Ministry 5 Martial Law Committee for Examining Reorganization and Rationalization of Reduction in the number of ministries/divisions/directorates and le an of ministries were expurgated from 36 to 19 Organizational Set up of manpower in Public Sector Organizationssun-ordinate offices Number of other offices were reduced from 243 to 181 Ministries/Divisions/Directorates and Number of constitutional bodies were reduced from 12 to 9.Number of other organizations, 1982 Reduction of layers for decision making officials and employees mostly working at the lower levels was reduced from 9,440 to 3,222 Delegation of administrative and financial powers down the hierarchy 6 Committee for Administrative Reform and Reorganization of Field take aim Up gradation of Thanas with Thana Parishads as the focal point of The new system of administration and local anesthetic government was introduced Reorganization, 1982 Administration local administration in 460 Thanas (Thanas were later renamed as Upazilas) 7 National Pay Commission, 1984 Pay Issues New National Pay Scale with 20 grades The New National Scales of Pay was intro duces with 20 scales of pay Secretaries Committee on Administrative Promotion Aspects Maintenance of status quo for 10 cadre services as promotion prospect Development, 1985 had been satisfactory 8 Special Committee to Review the Structure Structure of aged(a) Services Pool (SSP)Continuation of SSP as a cadre Recommendations were referred to the Cabinet Sub-committee for of Senior Services Pool, 1985 Entry into the SSP only through interrogatory to be conducted by the examination Public Service Commission elevate of Secretaries be limited to 8 years 9 Cabinet Sub-committee, 1987 Review of SSP and Promotion Aspects introduction of 50% of posts of Deputy Secretaries within the pay scales Recommendations were referred to the Council Committee for Rules of Business of Taka 4200-5200 for making SSP more attractive examination.The recommendations of the Council Committee were not Tenure of Secretaries should not be limited canonical by the President 1 0 1996Committee to refresh the necessityNecessity or other than of keeping of keeping certain Government Offices in certain Government Offices the light of changed circumstances, 1989 11 National Pay Commission,1989 Pay Issues Revised National Scales of Pay 20 revised Nation Scales of Pay was introduced 12 Administrative Reorganization Committee, Administrative structure and staffing Reduction of the number of ministries from 35 to 22 and the number ofThe report of the Committee was not made public 1993 patterns administrative organization from 257 to 224 Provisional structure for the Office of Ombudsman knowledgeability of a Secretariat for the Supreme Court 12 National Pay Commission, Pay Issues Revised National Scales of Pay 20 revised Nation Scales of Pay was introduced Structure and reorganization of manpower across Ministries/Departments/Directorates, and so forth 13 Administrative Reorganization Committee, Administrat ive structure for improving 1996 the quality and standard of service, achieve transparency and efficiency 14 Public Administration Reform Commission, conclusion of bursting charges and functions of the public offices Some of the interim recommendations have been implemented 1997 Formation of a professional policy making group Senior Management The recommendations of the Commission have been accepted by the Pool Lateral approach into the civil service government in a recently held cabinet meeting Reduction of the number of ministries from 36 to 25 and the abolition of 6 organizations. Establishment of the Supreme Court Secretarial. Establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman The local councils/Parishads at the district, Upazila and Union should have overall authority of coordination of development activities .Establishment of an self-governing Commission Against Corruption, Establishment of a vicious Justice Commissio n Magnetization of public service benefits Establishment of a Public Administration Reform monitoring Commission DISCUSSION ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS ELABORATELY IN THE FOLLOWING. Administrative and service structure reorganization committee(ASRC)On 15 demonstrate 1972 a four members administrative and service reorganization committee (ASRC) was appointed and submitted its report in two phases in April 1973 and in May 1974. relegating of ASRC The ASRC was asked To consider the present structure of various service.. And regularize the future structure keeping in the view fundamental needs. To consider the unification of all civil services .. Into one unified service. To determine the principle of integration of the personnel of various service in the new structure and to determine inter precedentiality of personnel in different service. To determine the future recruitment policy in the government service and various levels. To prepare and recommend a comprehensive s cheme for administrative reorganization.Significant recommendation The ASRC have done some important recommendations. As like- The committee felt that division between antecedent all Pakistan and other central superior services and the former provincial service as well division between higher and lower classes be abolished and a continuous grading system from top to bottom should be substituted in each occupational group. The committee suggested that reservation of posts for various groups within the public service should be discontinued. All public servants, the ASRC recommended, should be organized in a single classes unified grading structure (UGS) covering the whole public service.To train professionalism in the public service, the committee suggested, division of all posts within it into two broad categories to be designated as functional posts and area group posts. The ASRC called for designating posts in top three grades, i. e. I. II and III as senior policy and management posts and tightening cream procedure for entrance into senior management positions. The committee also suggested a detail plan as to how its proposal for UGS be implemented throughout the public service. The ASRC felt that individuals should be recruited to various grads as in the public service on the basis of merit as tested by their performance in competitive public examination. The ASRC also made a number of specific recommendations to democratize the governance and reduce the powers.As like- Increasing devolution of power and authority to elected local governments at different levels district, Thana, and union was forcefully argued to enable locally elected officials to provide leadership in developmental activities without interference from central government officials placed in the field. unlike local levels field tiers had to be demythologisedized with upgrading of subdivisions into districts and abolition of division. Separation of the judiciary from the executive had to be ensured for successful functioning of a democratic policy. At the central levels the role o the secretariat needed to be restricted to policy formulation, planning and evaluation of the executed plans and programs. muckle of ASRCThe ASRC submitted its recommendations to the government in two phases. But there was no official response to the committees work till the end of the Mujib government. It is difficult to regard why far- reaching recommendations of ASRC was shelved in spite of the fact that accepting the members. All members including the moderate were close to Mujib both politically and personally. It is on record that Mujib was unhappy with the poor performance on lack of commitment of many senior civil servants. He knew the problems but did not want to go all the way to solve the malices. That created the paradox and so Mujibs lack of action.National pay commission(NPC) A nation pay commission (NPC-1) was appointed on 21July 1972 under the chairmanship of a retired secretary to the government. Besides the chairman, there were nine members. The membership of the commission included full time and quintet part-time members. Mission The national pay commission (NPC-1) was appoint with a number of tasks. These included Reviewing the pay structure of all employees in the public sector keeping in view the governments policy of socialism. Recommending rationalisation and standardization of pay scales of those who served under erstwhile central and provincial governments. Significant recommendationsThe directing principles followed by NPC-1 in recommending a rational pay structure were a habitable wage, social acceptability, functionally distinguishable levels of responsibility matched with standardized pay levels and motivation based on patriotic grounds. The NPC-1 felt that a nine tiers administrative structure with equal pay scales could meet the requirements of a rational structure in Bangladesh during next five years 1973-1978 of the nine sc ales for would be typical direct entry tiers, three promotion tiers and two conversion ties but the commissions plan had to be limited to bring it in line with ASRC recommendation. Fate of NPC Some of the recommendations f the commission were partially implemented however, majority of the recommendations of the NPC-1 were not implemented. Reasons can be offered as to why the commissions recommendations suffered such a factCompression of 2200 scales into 10 scales was very difficult task and it proved to be at the implementation stage. No major segment within the civil service back up the recommendations. Rather almost everybody who mattered opposed it. Pay and service commission(P&038SC) The pay and service commission (P&038SC) was appointed on 20 February 1976 consisted of long dozen member including the chairman, headed by retired secretary who was changed in mid-way and replaced by another senior civil servant. Mission The P&038SC was asked to examine the existing pay and serv ice structure of public sector except defence reaction service and universitys teaching posts, recommend suitable service structure and pay structure including fringe benefits for civil service.In marking its recommendation, the commission had to consider some factors such as Functional needs and requirements of the government, job requirement or various service and posts, cost of living, resources of the government and public sector enterprises, reduction of disparity between the highest and the lowest salary levels, demand and supply of various profession and occupation. It had another main business to examine both service and pay matters of all employees in the traditional public sector and this had to be realized within a given set of constraints. Fate of P&038SC The government slowly and implemented some of the recommendations in modified form and it took two years. groundwork of twenty eight services under fourteen main cadres within the civil service. The government in 197 7 provided for twenty one scales of pay through the introduction of new national grades and scales of pay (NNGSP).In the process the government drastically scales down the number, that is 50 scales of pay which P&038SC recommended but the NNGSP satisfied very few people. Constitution of senior service pool (SSP) by the government. The (SSP) was modeled in light of the P&038SC call for creation of a superior policy pool (SSP), but the SSP order was formulated and implemented in such a manner that the objective behind SSP was willfully ignored. Martial Law Committee -1(MLC-1) A five member martial law committee for examining organization set up of ministries /divisions , departments , directorates and other organization under them (MLC) was appointed on April 18,1982 under the chairmanship of a Brigadier .The other members of the committee were two lieutenant colonels, one major and one mid ranking civil servant. The latter was made secretary to the committee. Mission of MLC-1 The c ommittees responsibility included To review and recommend charter of duties of various sectors, branches, wings, divisions and departments. To scrutinize existing and