Call for depending less on admin cadre, addressing inter-cadre inequality
The Inter-Cadre Discrimination Elimination Council has called for civil service reforms aimed at reducing dependence on the administration cadre and eliminating inequality among cadres to build a welfare-oriented state.
The council emphasised prioritising relevant expertise over administrative dominance in governance.
The demands were made during a seminar titled “Expected Civil Service to Fulfil Public Aspirations” held at the Krishibid Institution in the capital on Saturday (January 18). Organised by the council, which represents 25 civil service cadres, the seminar was attended by officers from various cadres, retired officials, judges, academics, writers, and politicians.
Challenges in the current system
Speakers at the seminar said the existing civil service framework triggers procrastination in daily work and public dissatisfaction due to lack of professionalism.
Centralisation of power in the administration cadre fosters inefficiency and undermining accountability.
It causes adoption of short-sighted projects, wasteful expenditures, and devaluation of expertise in public service, they said adding that imbalance in ministries and the monopolisation of authority by a single cadre, creates widespread inequality.
Professor Nasrin Begum, former president of the BCS General Education Association, said, “The dominance of the administration cadre has effectively enslaved the government. Despite decades of struggle, this entrenched inequality persists.”
Ahmed Ali Chowdhury Iqbal, former director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, warned against the proposed clustering of cadres into six groups, arguing that it would further centralise power and go against the spirit of decentralisation.
Calls for reform
The seminar presented several reform proposals, including: establishing merit-based ministries and appointing experts in relevant fields as ministry heads, eliminating the quota system for posts of deputy secretary and above to foster competition and accountability, creating a Civil Service Reform Commission to oversee promotions and ensure impartiality in the process, and democratising bureaucracy and making it accountable to the people.
Dhaka University’s Political Science Department Associate Professor Kazi Mahbub suggested forming an independent commission for promotions, stating, “Such a commission can work independently to ensure fairness and competence in the civil service.”
Writer and columnist Firoz Ahmed criticised the bureaucratic system for facilitating corruption and money laundering, often through unnecessary projects.
He called for a shift to a people-cantered governance model.
Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of the Ganasamhati Andolan, described the current system as a relic of the colonial era. He emphasized the need for structural changes and called for a nationwide movement to democratize the administration.
The seminar emphasised on eliminating inter-cadre discrimination and establishing an accountable civil administration.
The proposals included abolishing preferential treatment for certain cadres, prioritising professionalism, and creating a service environment that delivers tangible benefits to citizens.
Speakers urged political and social movements to unite in advocating for these changes, emphasizing that only by addressing systemic inequalities can the civil service truly serve the people and fulfil public aspirations.
