66% of people believe that civil servants act as if they are rulers

Survey Reveals Public Dissatisfaction with Civil Service and Administration

A recent survey by the Public Administration Reform Commission, which gathered responses from over 1 lakh people, highlights significant dissatisfaction with public administration.

• 66% of respondents feel that civil servants behave like rulers.
• 31% report experiencing rude behavior from government employees.
• 42% believe obtaining services is impossible without paying bribes.
• 46% have faced harassment while seeking services.

The survey, conducted online under the leadership of Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, aimed to collect opinions on public administration reforms. It included open-ended questions to allow respondents to share detailed feedback.

The commission submitted its report, containing approximately 200 recommendations, to Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday. The full report was published on the Cabinet Division website on Saturday.

Key Findings on Public Administration Challenges

• 56% cite political interference as the biggest barrier to making administration more people-friendly.
• 42% consider corruption the main obstacle.
• 96% believe transparency and accountability are lacking in public administration.
• 84% support the need for administrative reforms.
• 69% feel public administration has lacked neutrality over the past 15 years.

When asked about solutions:

• Only 4% think higher salaries and benefits would reduce corruption.
• 52% believe the main priority should be ensuring accountability.
• 36% say the primary reform focus should be eliminating corruption.

Effectiveness of Local Government Bodies

Respondents were also asked about the effectiveness of local governing institutions:

• 68% say zila parishads are ineffective.
• 76% believe upazila parishads would better serve citizens if strengthened.
• 47% suggest union parishads and municipalities should be integrated into the administration.

Bribery and Corruption in Public Services

A separate survey of 5,233 citizens who sought services from various government offices, including police stations, tax offices, land registries, and municipal services, revealed widespread corruption:

• 50% say receiving police services without paying a bribe is impossible.
• 42% report bribery and corruption in income tax offices, with 10% facing harassment.
• 43% had to pay bribes at Tehsildar, Assistant Commissioner (Land), Sub-Registry, and Settlement Offices.
• 32% faced misconduct from municipal and city corporation staff, while 28% had to pay bribes.
• 42% were dissatisfied with electricity, water, and gas services, and 18% reported irregular water supply.
• Nearly 100% of respondents were dissatisfied with healthcare services, with 46% calling them substandard.

Recommendations for Reform

After analyzing survey findings, academic research, and government reports, the reform commission identified major challenges such as corruption, political interference, inefficiency, bureaucratic attitudes, lack of transparency, poor accountability, limited public participation, and weak coordination.

The report emphasizes the need for a more people-friendly, accountable, efficient, and impartial administration. It outlines the following reform priorities:

• Enhancing efficiency and capacity through training and leadership development.
• Strengthening transparency, accountability, and neutrality in public administration.
• Eliminating corruption and political interference.
• Improving public service proficiency and accessibility.

The commission underscores that public administration must be restructured to effectively serve citizens and regain public trust.