We require a public administration that prioritizes and supports citizens

A survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission has revealed widespread dissatisfaction among the public with the country’s public administration. The survey, which involved over 100,000 participants, found that a striking 80 percent of respondents believe the administration is not citizen-friendly, while 66 percent feel that civil servants act like "rulers." Additionally, 96 percent feel the public administration lacks transparency and accountability, 69 percent believe it has been biased for the past 15 years, and 84 percent agree that reforms are urgently needed. These findings are both eye-opening and concerning, and we hope the authorities take them seriously as the country prepares for a major overhaul of its public administration.

The survey also uncovered other troubling results. A significant number of respondents reported experiencing rude behavior from government employees, believed it was impossible to receive services without bribery, and faced harassment when trying to access services. Moreover, many cited political interference and corruption as major barriers to making the administration more people-friendly.

Reforming the public administration has been long overdue. Since independence, at least 16 commissions and committees have proposed measures for creating an efficient, merit-based, and service-oriented civil service. However, most of these recommendations have been ignored, primarily due to resistance from bureaucrats and a lack of political will. Under the Awami League’s rule for over 15 years, corruption and irregularities within the administration reached unprecedented levels. We witnessed public officials flagrantly violating service rules by running "side businesses" and engaging in corruption. Even the government itself fostered corruption, as seen last year when the public administration ministry proposed relaxing the rule requiring civil servants to submit wealth statements every five years. Meanwhile, the public continued to suffer from poor services.

Now that the opportunity for reform has finally arrived, it must not be squandered. The Public Administration Reform Commission has submitted its report to the chief adviser, outlining short-, medium-, and long-term plans. These plans should be carefully discussed with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that reforms genuinely serve the public interest. While eliminating discrimination between different cadres should be a priority, the ultimate aim must be to build a public administration that is transparent, corruption-free, service-oriented, and truly people-friendly. In short, public servants should serve the people, not the other way around.