Promotion of Bangladesh Civil Service

Introduction This paper is explore the promotion system of 1 st class civil servants of Bangladesh. It is one kind of internal sources promotion. A promotion is the advancement of an employee’s ranks or position in an organizational hierarchy system. Promotion may be an employee’s reward for good performance, positive appraisal. Before a company promotes an employee to a particular position it ensure that the person is able to handle the added responsibilities by screening the employee with interviews & test and giving them training or on the job experiences. A promotion can evolve advancement in terms of designation salary and benefits & in some organization the type of job activity may change a great deal. It is of motivation as well as reward. So, promotion is a technique to utilize the skills, ability and experience of the employees in a fruitful way.

Definition of Promotion Promotion means the employee's present position to higher position .More clearly promotion is the movement to the higher position where more responsibility and more power exist with more opportunity. In the higher position salaries, duties, a responsibility everything increases is as well as employees enjoy independence. Different scholars define promotion in various ways from various angles. Definitions of some scholars are as follows:"A promotion involves a change from one job to another that is better in terms of status and responsibility.” -Edwin B.Flippo "A promotion involves a change of assignment from a job of a lower level to one of a higher level within the organization.” -Chruden and Sherman “Promotion is defined as a movement to a position in which responsibility and prestige are increased.”

-Dale Yoder 1

From the above definitions we can say that promotion is a process which ensures more opportunity, responsibility, more salary than the present position simply promotion indicates the involvement of 3 R's that refers-rank, responsibility and remuneration.

Objectives  To identify the 1st class civil service officer promotion system  To present the existing system of promotion in Bangladesh  To focus the rules & regulation of promotion  To show the impact of promotion in employees performance  To suggest the solution of problems

Principles of promotion There are three types of principles for promotion. 1. Seniority principle, 2. The principle of merit, 3. Seniority-cum merit principle. (1)Seniority principle The employee who has longer service to his credit would be promoted by his principle. Merits  Increase employee a loyalty.  Reduces labor turnover  Interferences by politicians can be avoided. Demerits 2

 Merit of an employee is ignored.  Employee having new ideas and abilities do not get recognition.  In this system employee do not make any effort for self improvement.  It creates bad relation among meritorious employees.

(2)The principle of merit In this principle the promotion is done based on qualification and achievement of an employee. There is no doubt that promotion on the basis of merit encourages initiative and if the policy is consistent and fair, it would lead to efficiency and higher productivity. Merits  It evaluates the creativity.  Motivates the employee to show there potentiality.  Brings new thinking in an employee.  This principle attracts young and capable candidates to apply for jobs. Demerits  It creates nepotism on the employee.  It creates frustration in an employee.  Merit principle does not ensure seniority. (3)Seniority-cum merit principle A person is justified by seniority and merit in this principle. This principle is used by the private and public company in developing countries.

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Merits  It increases job satisfaction of the employee.  This principle attracts both meritorious and senior person.  It increases effectiveness of the organization.

Demerits  It is tuff to access merits and seniority together.  It is rear to find out a person’s habits, experience and merit.  This principle is expensive and time consuming.

Types of promotion There are two types of promotion as follows1) Vertical 2) Horizontal

Vertical

Horizontal

1) Vertical An employee is promoted from one rank to next higher rank in the some department is known as vertical promotion. 4

2) Horizontal An employee is promoted from a position to another position to another department is called Horizontal promotion.

Promotion of 1st Class Officers in Bangladesh Promotion in Bangladesh are organized by the following organization-

Civil Service in Bangladesh Government employees in Bangladesh are vertically belonging to four categories, namely Class 1 Officers, Class 11 Officers, Class 111 employees and Class 1V employees. The officers are also classified as gazetted officers and non-gazetted officers. The officers whose appointment, posting, transfer, promotion and the similar are notified in government gazette, they are known as gazetted officers. All Class 1 officers and some of the Class 11 officers are treated as gazetted officers. Of the Class 1 officers, some belong to the cadre services. (Source: M. Abdul Wahhab Ph D Civil Service Recruitment Policy in Bangladesh: A Critical Analysis)

Promotion This type of recruitment is conducted by giving promotion to persons belonging to non-gazetted and Class I posts. In such cases, the MoPA sends list of the proposed candidates to the Commission together with their service documents, service records (Annual Confidential Reports - ACR) and recruitment rules. The Commission gives advice to the President in respect of the candidates who are recommended depending on whether they have the requisite character and ability for the service or post for which they are proposed for appointment.36 The PSC recommended in favor of 22,911 persons for promotional recruitments during 1972 to 2005. In respect of promotion of officers, the

SUPERIOR SELECTION BOARD

considers and recommends

promotion cases of officers belonging to grades I, II, III of both the public statutory corporations and the cadre officials. Upon approval of the recommendations by the Prime Minister, the respective ministries/divisions and in certain cases the Ministry of Public Administration issue 5

necessary orders. Below the level mentioned above, promotion cases are processed through Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC) located in each ministry/division and chaired by the concerned secretaries with representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Public Administration. The concerned head of the attached department is also a member of DPC. Recommendations for promotion of the DPC require the approval of the Prime Minister. But for the posts of deputy secretary, a separate committee of the Ministry of Public Administration can issue the final orders for their promotion with the approval of the Prime Minister. (Source: Banglapedia, National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh.)

Ministry of Public Administration (MOPA) Responsibilities Allocation of Business of the Ministry of Public Administration (MOPA) as per the Rules of Business, 1996 the responsibilities are the following: Formulation of policy on regulation of services and determination of their terms and conditions (policy on method of recruitment, age limit, qualification, reservation of posts for certain areas and sex, medical fitness, examinations, appointment, posting, transfer, deputation, leave, travel, seniority, promotion, selection, supersession, retirement, superannuation, re-employment, appointment on contract, conditions of pensions, determination of status, etc.) Source: http://www.moestab.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=377&Itemid=229 access date 15-11-12

Public service Commission Under Bangladesh Civil service (Examination for promotion) rules 1986 Public Service commission conducts two types of promotion by taking examination. Types of promotion examination

Types of promotion exam

Departmental examination

Senior Scale Exam

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Figure: types of promotion exam

1. Departmental examination PSC plays an important role in conducting the departmental exam. The departmental exam is a long standing system purporting to measure general efficiency of the junior officer on their respective fields of employment. It conduct two times in a year  June-July  January- February

Subjects 1. Governments rules & procedures -100 2. Accounts-100 3. Self Cadre’s function-100 2. Senior Scale Exam PSC conducts on examination for the newly recruited BCS officer. Then BPSC make a list of the successful candidates and recruitment for promotion. Subject 1. Bangladesh & current affairs-100 2. Service rules-100 3. Subject regarding paper of concerned Cadres-100 The total pass mark is 50 7

Unable to attend the Exam 1. Any officer who has not completed their services for four year. 2. One officer can participate in three or lesser number of subjects at time. 3. The officer who has completed 14 year of services can not appear at the promotion exam. 4. The officer cannot participate more than one in the same Cadre year.

Promotion Committees

1. Council Committee (CC) 2. Superior Selection Board ( SSB) 3. Special Promotion Committee (SPC) 4. Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC) 5. Divisional Selection Board (DSB)

Council Committee

Superior Selection Board

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Promotion Committee s Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC)

Special Promotion Committee

Divisional Selection Board

Figure: Promotion Committees

1) Council Committee (CC) This committee works for the recruitment, promotion etc, of the officers who ranks and status as join secretary or above. Composition Head: Prime Minister Member: All the members of the Cabinet Grade: 4th to 1st grade.

Problem  The function of this committee is most of the time politically biased.

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2) Superior Selection Board (SSB) This board was for the officials whose ranks and status are as deputy secretary and above

Composition Head/ Chairman Secretary cabinet division Members  Secretary Ministry of Public Administration  Secretary Ministry of Finance  Secretary of Training Ministry  Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs  Secretary Ministry of law and order  Comptrollers and Auditor General  Secretary of Respective Ministry  Inspector General of Police Grade: 6th to 4th The responsibility of the SSB The major responsibility of the SSB is to consider and make recommendations on the promotion and appointment of different categories of officers1. To the posts of deputy secretary and above in the Secretariat 10

2. To pay grades III, II and I of the officers belonging to various service cadres and those outside the cadres; 3. To pay grades III, II and I of those government officers who are on deputation to various autonomous bodies; 4. (iv) to the posts of executive heads of various government departments and directorates; 5. To the posts of management heads of a selective number of autonomous bodies, including the directors of management boards of these bodies who are employed on a full-time basis; and 6.

To award of time scale of the officers mentioned above.

Problems  A basic limitation of this committee is quota systems.  It is highly centralized.

3) Special Promotion Committee (SPC) It examines the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) of the recommended officials.

Composition Chairman: Secretary of respective Member  A respective of from the Ministry of Public Administration.  A representative sleeted by the division or Ministry chief. Grade: 9th to 6th Method of assess 11

Total mark -100  Out of 70 marks in ACR  Out of 25 marks in viva-voce

Problems 1. ACR is not properly and timely written. 2. The interview system in this stage may be corrupted by politics

4) Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC) The committee in each Ministries and division are responsible for recommending promotion within class 2 or from class 2 to 1.

Composition Head: Secretary of respective Ministry Members  Joint Secretary finance and training Ministry  Joint Secretary Ministry of Public Administration  Head of the department

5) Divisional Selection Board (DSB) This board considers the case of promotion to non gadget post of the division officer under all department District and subordinate offices.

Composition Chairman: Divisional Commissioner Member 12

 Deputy inspector of police  Deputy Director of Public  A representatives of PSC  Secretary of Division Commissioner

Limitations  Recruitment process is biased by politicians  Nepotism, favoritism in seniority & merit base promotion  Lack of coordination among Promotion Committees  Promotion Committees are corrupted  Creates inter conflict between seniority base officer & merit base officer  Problems in exam system  Exam schedules are not appropriate

Recommendations  A revolutionary change should be bring in the promotion process, terms and conditions  Reduce the over formality of promotion process  Political interfere should be remove totally from the promotion process to ensure proper transparency in this process  Promotion should be given in proper time to provide motivation to the employee  Promotion system should be include in all sector of job to increase performance of employees 13

 Corruption, Nepotism, favoritism should be eliminate

Conclusion After complete this paper it can be conclude that promotion of 1 st class civil servants is more practice in Bangladesh. Promotion is the advancement of an employee’s rank or position in an organizational hierarchy system. Civil Service promotion committee are responsible for employees promotion for motivates the employees. As a result employees try to give better feedback. Promotion system of Bangladesh is fully corrupted but in this situation they try to overcome their shortcomings. This paper is prepare on promotion of civil servant & identify the problems and give some recommendation to overcome above these limitation.

References 1) Ahmed, Emajuddin. Public Administration in Bangladesh. Bublished by Shahrul Alam Badan, 12/13 Parichand Road, Banglabazar, Dhaka-1100 14

2) Ahmed, Syed Giasuddin. 2000. Public Administration in the Three Decades. In A. M. Chowdhury and Fakrul Alam (eds.), Bangladesh: on the Threshold of the Twenty-First Century. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 3) Robbins S P, Human Resource Management, 3rd Edition, Asoke K Ghosh, Prentice Hall of IndiaPrivate Ltd, New Delli 4) Dr.Rahman AM, Dr Hasan Z and Islam RM, Human Resource Management, 1st Edition, Life Publisher. 5) Werther WB and Davis, Human Resource Management, 5th Edition, Library of Congress Cataloging – E – Publication Data 6) Banglapedia,(2007) National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh 7) www1.imp.unisg.ch/.../3.%20haque_ipmr_volume%2013_issue%2, performance appraisal system of bangladeshCivil service: an analysis of its efficacy 8) www.usaid.gov/pubs/ads/400/418.pd, ads 418, promotion and internal placement program for civ. 9)http://www.moestab.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=377&Itemid=229

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