Bangladesh Administrative Service

Bangladesh Administrative Service
Original: Bangladesh Administrative Service (BAS) Vector: Dr. Editorial · Public domain · source
Name	Bangladesh Administrative Service
Formation	1971
Preceding	Civil Service of Pakistan, Indian Civil Service
Jurisdiction	Bangladesh
Headquarters	Dhaka

Bangladesh Administrative Service is the premier cadre of Bangladesh Civil Service responsible for senior public administration posts across Bangladesh. Originating from colonial-era services such as the Indian Civil Service and the Civil Service of Pakistan, it provides leadership in Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Finance, and field administration including district administration and uttarakhanda. Officers serve as key links among central institutions like the Cabinet of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Parliament, and local entities such as Dhaka City Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation.

History

The lineage traces to the Indian Civil Service established under the British Raj and continued through the Civil Service of Pakistan after the Partition of India. Following the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 and the founding of Bangladesh by leaders associated with the Awami League, the present cadres were reorganized under new statutes influenced by predecessors like the Government of India Act 1935 and post-independence reforms modeled on services in India and Pakistan. Early post-independence administrators worked closely with heads of state including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and policymakers in the Ministry of Home Affairs to rebuild civil institutions damaged during the 1971 Bangladesh genocide and subsequent upheavals such as the 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état.

Recruitment and Training

Recruitment is conducted via the Bangladesh Public Service Commission through the Bangladesh Civil Service Examination which resembles competitive exams used by the Union Public Service Commission in India and the Federal Public Service Commission (Pakistan). Candidates from universities such as the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and Rajshahi University participate alongside graduates of foreign institutions like University of Cambridge and Harvard University. Successful candidates undergo training at the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre and the National Academy for Planning and Development with attachments to ministries such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, and international bodies like the United Nations Development Programme.

Structure and Ranks

The cadre hierarchy reflects grades equivalent to those in services like the Indian Administrative Service: entry-level assistant commissioner posts, up to deputy commissioner and divisional commissioner, and central secretariat ranks including joint secretary, additional secretary, and senior secretary who interact with the Cabinet Division. Field ranks include Deputy Commissioner and Upazila Nirbahi Officer posts that align with administrative divisions such as Dhaka Division and Sylhet Division. Promotion pathways often involve stints in corporations like the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation and regulatory bodies including the Bangladesh Bank.

Roles and Responsibilities

Officers administer districts during crises such as natural disasters like Cyclone Sidr and 2017 Bangladesh floods, coordinate relief with agencies including the Department of Disaster Management and international partners like International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In policy, they draft briefings for ministers of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce, implement laws such as the Local Government (Upazila Parishad) Act and oversee elections administered by the Election Commission of Bangladesh. They supervise law-and-order coordination with entities such as the Bangladesh Police and liaise with development financiers like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

Regional and Local Administration

At the district level, the deputy commissioner represents central authority interacting with municipal bodies like the Rajshahi City Corporation and rural councils under the Upazila Parishad system established by statutes influenced by the Local Government Engineering Department. Divisional commissioners coordinate across zones such as Barisal Division and Khulna Division, while Upazila Nirbahi Officers manage local implementation of schemes from ministries including the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Coordination extends to infrastructure projects with agencies like Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board and urban planning with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha.

Reforms and Challenges

Reform efforts reference models from the Civil Service Reform Commission and recommendations by international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank. Challenges include allegations of politicization linked to parties like the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party, capacity constraints noted after disasters like Cyclone Aila, and pressures from decentralization debates influenced by comparative cases in India and Indonesia. Transparency initiatives cite technology projects like digitization with support from United Nations Development Programme and anti-corruption drives aligned with the Anti-Corruption Commission (Bangladesh).

Notable Officers and Cases

Prominent figures have included senior civil servants who worked with national leaders such as Sheikh Hasina and who were involved in events like the handling of the Rana Plaza collapse response and coordination after Cyclone Sidr. High-profile administrative cases have involved disputes adjudicated in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and inquiries tied to ministries including the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Some officers later assumed diplomatic or political roles interacting with institutions like the United Nations and bilateral partners such as India and China.

Category:Civil service by country