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Analyzing role of BCS Admin Cadre

Published : Monday, 4 November, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 4082
Roksana Khan
Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) is assigned the task of executing the government's plans, policies, and actions, while Cadre Service refers to specific organized groups within the civil service categorized by career, recruited through crosswise entry, and regulated by specific rules to serve the government. According to UNDP, cadre service is characterized by meritocracy, neutrality, good organization, proper sizing and planning, accountability, professionalism, relative autonomy, minimal corruption, responsiveness, representativeness, comprehensive training, performance focus, and a relatively open structure.

At present, Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) consists of 26 distinct cadres. Cadre Service in Bangladeshis typically categorized into two types: General Cadres (such as Administration, Police, Foreign Affairs) and Technical/Professional Cadres (such as Health, Engineering, Education). Each cadre has distinct responsibilities and specialized expertise. Officers in these services occupy essential roles within the government, with various governance-related functions. Cadre officers follow a clear career progression, beginning at entry-level positions and advancing to senior roles within the government structure through promotions.   

BCS (Administration) Cadre in Bangladesh is the direct successor to Pakistan's generalist cadre, which was once known as the "steel frame" of the British Civil Service. This cadre plays a crucial role in the country's administration and governance. In field administration, they hold key positions such as Assistant Commissioners, Executive Magistrates, Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), Deputy Commissioners (DCs), and Divisional Commissioners. A key function of the administration cadre is to maintain law and order in their respective jurisdictions. This involves not only general administrative duties but also emergency management and crisis response. Administration cadre officers supervise local government institutions, oversee development projects, and ensure the proper utilization of public resources. The administration cadre plays a pivotal role in delivering various public services, including land administration, revenue collection, and social services, ensuring that the benefits of government programs reach to the citizens.In central administration, they contribute to policy development and governance by working in ministries, divisions, and departments amide of various challenges such as stakeholder pressure for their interest, resource limitations, etc. Senior officers of this service were promoted to the highest positions of the secretaries to the government.

The formulation of the BCS Administration Cadre is rooted in the need to establish an effective and efficient administrative structure to assist the political government, abiding by laws, rules, and regulations to govern the country by ensuring public service delivery. It serves as the backbone of the country's civil service, providing leadership and coordination across various levels of government. This cadre service also provides other cadre officers access to administrative services to get them a level plain field and an opportunity to mingle with relevant expertise in a particular area. Thus, as per the promotion rule of 2002, the quota for Deputy Secretary for BCS administration is 75%, Joint Secretary 70%, and Additional Secretary 70%, which is rational for others' cadre entry into BCS (administration) cadre.

“A study suggests that the BCS (administration) Cadre service should be updated to include revised criteria for entry, promotion, and postings, taking into account national, women, tribal, and disability-related merit. It also recommends incorporating examination and 360-degree performance evaluations, as the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) alone does not always provide a comprehensive assessment”

The BCS (Administration) Cadre was also created to ensure that government policies and decisions are effectively implemented at the grassroots level and it is designed to ensure centralized coordination and effective implementation of government policies at all administrative levels, from the central government down to the district and sub-district levels. Officers in this cadre act as the primary link between the government and the people by representing both local and central government. The structure and functions of the administration cadre have evolved to adapt to the changing governance needs, including decentralization, digital governance, and increased citizen engagement. Other Cadres typically have functional authority within their specific areas of expertise but do not have overarching administrative control over a geographic area. In this context, demanding of abolishing or merging of this administration cadre by other cadres, actually would be a suicidal attempt for the government itself.

A study suggests that the BCS (administration) Cadre service should be updated to include revised criteria for entry, promotion, and postings, taking into account national, women, tribal, and disability-related merit. It also recommends incorporating examination and 360-degree performance evaluations, as the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) alone does not always provide a comprehensive assessment. So, the entire service performance measurement indicator needs to be introduced. Instead of a usual exam,vivavoce should be conducted to observe the officer's manner, etiquette, and mentality to render better service.Disciplinary action needs to be stringent and unbiased while remarkable achievement and recognition should be appreciated with reward and remuneration. Especially, as women are lagging far behind, according to a recommendation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), 30% of the posts at the decision-making level should be reserved for women.Revisiting this service by applying all those recommendations with establishing a civil service commission that can act as the ombudsman,would be a wiser decision to recover the BCS (administration) cadre's past legacy of importance in commitment to public service delivery.

The writer is a Joint Secretary, Internal Resources Division (IRD), Ministry of Finance



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