Civil service values: Norms and realities Kazi S. M.

Khasrul Alam Quddusi

The administration runs on the very edifice of bureaucracy. Though policy makers make policies
in parliament, it is the bureaucrats who are entrusted with the all-important execution. Despite
the urge for small and right-sized government, the gamut of bureaucrats role and functions is on
the increase with the progress of globalisation as well as information and communication
technology. Brilliant people man the civil service in a country.
The case is not different in Bangladesh either though the trend has been on the lower side these
days due to inroads of robust private sector and recruitment anomalies and imbroglio in the
public sector. However, for smooth functioning, the civil service requires a rich value system. In
the UK, the current head of the civil service Sir Gus ODonnell expounds a vision to bring the
core values of the civil service code to life. His vision is for a civil service which exudes pride,
passion, pace and professionalism the 4 (Four) Ps:
Pride civil servants should take pride in the value they add and the services they deliver to the
public, ii. Passion civil servants should care about their work and the people they serve. A
culture that values passion will also keep attracting the most talented people to join the
organisation, iii. Pace the Civil Service needs to ensure it gets on with the job as quickly as
possible and provides value for money (VFM), and iv. Professionalism this can be achieved
through constantly lifting standards and promoting a culture that values lifelong learning.
These 4 Ps propounded by Sir Gus ODonnell can well be termed as powerful 4 Ps of civil
service or bureaucracy in any administrative setting. However, in the context of Bangladesh
society and administration, I have different 4 (Four) Ps. I call them painful 4 Ps. They are i.
Patronage, ii. Pressure, iii. Politicisation, and iv. Punishment. A very brief explanation of the
phenomena is in order.
i. Patronage: Though merit is said to be a national yardstick for job-related prospects of our
bureaucrats, patronage in the form of preference for some at the cost of others rules the roost in
our officialdom which encourages a culture of sycophancy based on bureaucrats remaining in
the good books of political bosses at any cost. So, the ambitious ones remain up and doing to
curry favour with the influential ones in the ruling party even at the cost of their designated
duties. Though the quota system should not be abolished altogether as it is recognised and
required the world over, its pervasiveness is a matter of concern as it is poised to dispel merit to a
degree in our country.
ii. Pressure: Pressure is the order of the day in so far as workload in the civil service is
concerned. However, the pressure from the political bosses and other influential quarters is just
tremendous. Though workload is routine and is thus adjusted with, undue interference by the
political leaders stands in the way of the civil servants official duties in many instances. Excess
of protocol also takes its toll. Such a scenario permeates the whole of the country with things just
unbearable in many rural areas. Instances of local officials being obstructed by local leaders and
hooligans add to the pressure building mechanism.

iii. Politicisation: Though partial politicisation is practised worldwide, its manifestation and
prevalence in Bangladesh is terrible. It has turned out to be a very popular and indispensable
weapon for the governments in Bangladesh. What is of particular note is that it is being reflected
and promoted in newer dimensions. There may be a momentary gratification but reckless
politicisation does not serve anybodys purpose at the end of the day. Moreover, the techniques
that are employed in inducting men of choice in the key positions render the recruits moral
standpoint weak and cultivate a debilitating sense of bankruptcy in the service.
iv. Punishment: Punishment is the offshoot of reckless politicisation in Bangladesh. Though
OSD (Officer on Special Duty) is an official necessity, often its overuse reach unbearable
proportions in Bangladesh. Governments of Bangladesh are invariably seen busy breaking the
records of previous regimes in sending officers on special duty, that is, no duty, in effect.
Transferring officials to remote areas is another weapon that is widely used by political bosses to
punish the officers who do not toe the line. Though some officers deserve to such postings, many
cases carry the vengeance of disgruntled political bosses.
The objective is not to mean that four powerful civil service values such as pride, passion, pace
and professionalism remain ideally in our administrative ambience. My purpose is rather to point
to the fact that they are just being eclipsed by four painful civil service pathologies in
Bangladesh, that is, patronage, pressure, politicisation and punishment. These painful
phenomena are acting as countervailing forces against growth of a wholesome bureaucratic
culture. We have to have a bureaucracy equipped with high degree of morality as well as morale.
Acculturation of pristine values is thus essential along with negation of painful factors.

The writer is Chair, Dept. of Public Administration, University of Chittagong.

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