The Future of the BCS: Concerns over the Transfer of Education and Health Cadres

BCS is a dream alternative for the youth. Bangladesh Civil Service is collectively beautiful in itself. BCS does not have to be decorated in the name of any particular cadre. BCS is the number one choice of educated unemployed people in Bangladesh for social respect, financial security and state service. In reaching the top of the BCS in the job market, continuous circulars every year, employment in a significant number of vacant cadres and almost 100% transparent recruitment are the main factors. Currently, the Bangladesh Civil Service consists of 26 cadres. The interim government formed after the fall of the previous government in the anti-discrimination student movement has formed a commission for various reforms. The Public Administration Reform Commission is one of them. Whether a government will run well or become autocratic, whether the people will receive services or sink into suffering – those whose activities determine it are mainly revealed in the behavior of the employees appointed to the Bangladesh Civil Service. Since everyone in the Bangladesh Civil Service is under the control of the Ministry of Public Administration, the Public Administration Reform Commission was very important. The interim government has fulfilled the expectations of the people by taking a groundbreaking decision in this regard.

However, almost all the members of the commission have been formed from the manpower of a specific area. All other cadres of the civil service have not been properly represented here. That was not even a consideration or discussion. Because it was desired that honest and impartial people from wherever co-op is done will lead to overall improvement. But among the recommendations submitted by the Public Administration Reform Commission, it has been recommended to exclude the health and education cadres from the cadre. Of course, the recommendation is not the last word. The interim government will definitely investigate its rationality and irrationality in the decision. Now we need to see what is the reason why BCS has become so attractive? Despite the fact that there are many sectors in Bangladesh with high salaries in terms of opportunities, financial freedom, why is Bangladesh Civil Service the number one choice of the youth? Almost every year, the advertisement published by the Bangladesh Labor Commission for recruitment to the Civil Service contains around 2,000 vacancies for recruitment in various cadres. In addition, a significant number of non-cadres are recommended in the first and second classes.

Almost all of those who pass the preliminary and written examination stages, who are transferred to the viva and finally pass, are recommended for various sectors and departments according to their qualifications. A significant number of non-cadre recommendations in the past few BCSs have increased the beauty of BCS many times. The application of BCS exams by the unemployed has increased many times. The advertisement announced by the Labor Commission every year contains 200-300 vacancies in BCS administration, around 100 vacancies for police. There are 800-900 vacancies in various subjects in the BCS education cadre and 550-650 vacancies in the health cadre. In short, on average, two-thirds of the total posts in any BCS vacancy circular are in BCS education and health cadre. A respectable job can be found here through the manipulation of talent, ability, and luck – this is one of the reasons why BCS is valuable.

According to the recommendations of the Reform Commission, if education and health are excluded from the BCS, there will be 500-600 vacancies in the cadres combined with the other 24 cadres. The eager waiting of the unemployed youth and even the public for BCS, the dream of becoming a BCS cadre from the beginning of their educational life, will come to an end – if the education and health cadres are separated from the BCS. The psychological battle of the remaining 25 cadres with the administration cadre has been going on for a long time. The demands and movements to eliminate intra-cadre discrimination are ongoing continuously. Among the 26 cadres, some consider themselves Ashraf and keep others around – has increased the distance a lot. The attitude of excluding education and health from the cadres on the recommendation of the Public Administration Reform Commission has put the final nail in the coffin of this relationship. In this case, it is necessary to refrain from the attempts to create new discrimination in the name of reform. The government will surely understand the reality on the ground and the attitude of the education-health cadres and take it into account. Dr. I hope that the Yunus-led government will not take it.

The Public Administration Reforms Commission recommends that the manpower for health and education be appointed under another commission and, if necessary, they be given higher salaries. In the past, it was included in the BCS, but now there is a separate recruitment test – Judicial Magistrate. After the judiciary became independent, there was a need to introduce a separate recruitment system for judges. If that policy is followed, the BCS administration cadre can be separated from the BCS and they can be appointed under the new rules. That is also logical.

It is also not logical to keep other cadres connected to the BCS administration. Because senior officials of other cadres also come under the junior officials of the BCS administration or are forced to come under them. Senior officials of fisheries, agriculture or other cadres are working under the Upazila Nirbahi Officer in the upazila. This is a matter of mental discomfort for them. Not to mention carrying the shame on the path of disrespect. Therefore, to eliminate this discrimination, a separate commission should be formed for the BCS administration and they should be appointed so that the service becomes smooth and logical. What is the alternative BCS like the BJS exam?

BCS administration vs other cadres – The division created by the imaginary wall is long-standing. The police cadre was in a fairly buffer or neutral zone, but when rumors arose that SPs would go to the district administrators for assistance or that the district administration would have to inform the police about all cases, distance and friction were created between the two. The heat that was felt during the previous government’s tenure over the search for party affiliations of the police officers appointed was almost relaxed in the administration. However, in the past elections, the violence of the political party-minded administration was the most. To build a non-discriminatory and prosperous Bangladesh, each person should be given his own ministry. An agricultural expert can take the most effective decisions for the development of agriculture. Thus, fisheries, forests, roads-bridges, education-health – which ministry should he have. It is more logical than it should be. Even if a bureaucrat can be a good teacher, he has no chance of becoming a good doctor-engineer!

All the controversies about education, all the times the curriculum-syllabus has been taken to the operating table – it would not have happened if the renowned educationists of this country were in charge of determining the curriculum. All the deterioration of healthcare has been due to unhealthy intrusions on health. Teachers and doctors do not provide services only for money or out of greed for money. Otherwise, many doctors do not have to provide treatment in the cramped environment of upazila-level hospitals with the salary determined by BCS. There is no shortage of patients if they sit in a diagnostic center morning and evening with a chamber. They are trying to take education and health cadres out of the Bangladesh Civil Service so that new problems are not provoked. Hope not faith – the interim government will maintain the beauty of BCS in its wise role and will unify equality and harmony by eliminating inter-cadre discrimination. Everyone must work together to build this Bangladesh. Corruption, nepotism and hegemonic decisions must be stopped. The state should have an index of wealth, corruption, and power-laundering of employees of various cadres working in the Bangladesh Civil Service, which the people will naturally know about.