Bangladesh Administration: Hundreds Idle as Key Officers Juggle Multiple Crucial Roles
About 650 government officers in Bangladesh currently receive salaries but have no assigned work. They are called Officers on Special Duty (OSD). At the same time, many other key officers handle multiple important tasks. This creates a significant challenge for Bangladesh’s public administration.
There are many more officers than available positions. Around 1,500 officers hold the rank of joint secretary, but only 502 official posts exist. This means many officers have no work, while others are burdened with too much. Humayun Kabir, an Additional Secretary, holds three major responsibilities in the Cabinet Division. He manages his own office and leads two key wings. Mohammad Khaled Hasan, another Additional Secretary, also manages three wings.
These wings handle vital tasks like sending government orders and approving large purchases. Officials say one person having many responsibilities causes problems. No task can be done well if an officer is overloaded. This often slows down work and delays government decisions.
Experts believe political influence in the administration causes this issue. Governments often choose officers based on trust and political alignment. Officers not seen as trustworthy may get unimportant roles or become OSDs. Some officers trusted by the previous government are now forced to retire. On July 28, 32 joint secretaries were retired at once. Many served as Deputy Commissioners during the 2018 election.
AKM Abdul Awal Majumder, a former government secretary, explained this. He said governments prefer officers with similar political views for key posts. This forces some officers to handle many duties. This slows work and delays new government projects.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) addressed this. Their election manifesto stated that only qualifications would decide appointments and promotions. They promised fair treatment. This imbalance and politicization make public services less efficient and accountable across Bangladesh.
