DHAKA: The government is going to take a hard line in dealing with a “syndicate” in the administration allegedly hampering the implementation of development projects through dillydallying and neglect of duties with an ulterior motive to make this government unpopular, competent sources said.

A highly placed source in the administration said that more than 500 officials of different categories, who were previously favoured unduly, are in cahoots with one another trying to hinder the progress of the development works through foot dragging.

“These officials will be identified and actions would be taken against them soon for a breach of discipline and slowing down the projects,” the source said.

To infuse dynamism and commitment in the administration the government has issued a circular (memo. 5.155.039.01.00002.2008-109(50) which contains some strict directives for the officials to be punctual and committed to the assigned job.

There are also specific instructions in the secretariat about attending to duties in time, failing which necessary “disciplinary action” follows. But there have been no tangible results yet.

About the present situation in the administration, a high official, who prefers not to be quoted by name, confided to this reporter that a large number of junior and inefficient officials, some bearing specific allegations of various irregularities, were put in responsible positions under the present government. “It created a deadlock and unhealthy atmosphere in the administration.”

Establishment Secretary Iqbal Mahmood told banglanews24.com.bd that the government is going to formulate very transparent and accountable promotion rules to ensure justice and efficiency in the services.

The biggest anomalies crept in the administration when the last BNP-Jamaat alliance government started the process of edging out a large number of senior and efficient officials, both in police and civil administrations, as they belong to freedom-fighter section and also on grounds that they have allegiance to Awami League.

Besides, “politicization and irregularities” in promotions and transfers and postings did no stop there. Within a span of only 13 months a significant number of officials in the rank of deputy secretary were catapulted to the rank of secretary to make the administration more loyal to the past alliance government,” said one of the officials in the know.

In 2001, when the four-party alliance government came to power, a “naked process” of placing Jamaat people in various important positions of the government had started, making the situation worse yet, the sources said.

The last Awami League government had recruited only 2,873 officials for different tiers of the administration through 20th and 21st BCS examinations whereas the four-party coalition recruited 10,715 officials for different cadres, mostly who are faithful to the alliance government, for making the administration “more absolute and solid to serve their purpose,” they said.

To hold the national election “in a partisan manner and reap the result” the past alliance government promoted about 600 senior assistant secretaries as deputy secretary for their placement in the field, many as Deputy Commissioners, who are supposed to play a vital role in the process of national elections. These promotions were given when there were no requisite vacancies to provide for such a large number of deputy secretaries.

“The mechanism was such well-knit that even if the caretaker government reshuffled the administration, their people would get the postings in the field level under the Election Commission to manipulate the election process,” it is alleged.

The four-party government cancelled the results of the 23rd BCS examination conducted during the previous Awami League rule, as there were majority candidates from freedom fighters’ families whom they “could not trust for obvious reasons”.

There were also allegations of leakage of BCS question papers on several occasions in different cadres. Of the total, 26 thousand were recruited in the various positions in the police. “There are allegations that even persons with criminal records were also recruited to deal with the lawbreakers!” said one of the sources.

Recently, the Prime Minister expressed her utter dissatisfaction over the non-implementation of ADP to a satisfactory level and warned the high officials in a formal meeting that no irregularities would be tolerated.

She was also learnt to have sounded warning that the officials responsible for such foot-dragging tactics would be brought to book, whoever one may be, for slowing down the DAP implementation. She also categorically told the officials that only merit and efficiency would count –no other considerations would work.

On the present non-committal administration, Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Choudhury also had earlier expressed similar views, saying that some veiled elements of the past government, hiding in the administration, were “conspiring to make this grand alliance government embarrassed”.

The present government, since last September, has given promotions to 503 high officials in three levels of the administration in the process of reshuffles in the bureaucracy. Of them, 60 were promoted to additional secretary, 163 to the post of joint secretary and 271 as deputy secretary, the sources told banglanews24.com.bd.

BDST 0958 HRS, JULY 04, 2010