GENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE BANGLADESH CIVIL SERVICE - A REFORM PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This paper focuses on the historical context of Civil Service Reform (CSR) in Bangladesh. Specifically, it explores the genesis and development of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Administration cadre, with reference to different reform programs that have been undertaken since independence. This paper will place an emphasison civil service reform in contextual perspective. In Bangladesh it has been a practice for every new political regime to initiate reform planning through commissions and committees. Nevertheless, most of their recommendations have remained unimplemented for several reasons. As many as 20 committees and commissions on public administration (PA) reform were formed since 1971. International donor agencies have also conducted several inquiries and studies. Both government and donor agency recommendations have called for reforming public sector management, in general, and for reforming different CSR issues, in particular— such as recruitment, training, career management, performance management and retirement. These are the main focal areas in the BCS HRM structure that are within the scope of this paper.