Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the committee tasked with preparing a white paper on the state of Bangladesh's economy, on Sunday said the administration was completely held hostage by the politics during the previous regime.
“The administration had a role in promoting the development narrative that was set by the immediate past government. They even exceeded the legal structure by doing so. In fact, the administration was mostly controlled by political influences,” Debapriya told reporters at a briefing at the NEC conference room following a meeting with 85 senior bureaucrats from across the country.
Debapriya, also a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the Convenor of the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, said section of bureaucrats driven by political aspirations had pressured others within the bureaucracy to serve the interests of the previous Awami League government.could implement some deviations from that narrative at the cost of their professional losses. Their stance also cost their professional progression,” he said.
Dr Debapriya noted that when some bureaucrats attempted to raise objections, senior officials often forced them to align their views with the then political agenda.
“Many officials became entangled in political ambitions, which led them into various challenges over time,” he added.
However, Dr Debapriya said some bureaucrats managed to stand firm in their views and made a significant impact during the Awami League administration.
Several of them shared that their differing opinions came at a high professional cost, including being denied promotions, he said.
He further noted that the bureaucrats had highlighted issues such as the lack of capacity building, coordination, and willingness within the administration.
“They stressed the need for enhanced capacity building, better coordination, and a stronger commitment to reform,” he added.
