Administrative Chaos Exacerbated by Poor Coordination

Bangladesh’s public administration is currently facing significant inefficiencies, largely due to poor inter-ministerial coordination. Critical services ranging from disaster response to land management and religious registrations are adversely affected, creating avoidable hardships for citizens. Experts warn that without urgent reforms, these problems will continue to grow.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence Department (FSCD) is the first responder in any national disaster, whether it be fire, earthquake, flood, or landslide. Their rescue operations are supported financially by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, which allocates funds for equipment procurement. However, the department itself falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which controls staff appointments, transfers, and promotions. Despite FSCD’s operational directives coming 90 per cent from the Disaster Ministry, this divided authority hampers timely and coordinated response.

Similarly, the Sub-Registrar Offices handle the nation’s most important land-related services, including property registration and dispute resolution. About 90 per cent of their work is land-focused, yet they remain under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs instead of the Ministry of Land. Consequently, the Land Ministry cannot take administrative action when issues of misconduct or corruption arise.

Muslim marriage registration, conducted by the country’s Qazi offices, faces a similar dilemma. These offices, which ideally should be supervised by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, are currently under the Law Ministry. Long-standing jurisdictional disputes between ministries have led to a bureaucratic “tug-of-war,” preventing reforms aimed at improving citizen-friendly services.

Former Additional Secretary and public administration scholar Md. Firoz Mia told reporters, “Addressing these structural anomalies is essential to reduce the hardships faced by citizens. The existing allocation of business (‘Elokeshon of Business’) must be revised, and the government’s top leadership must take decisive action.”

Efforts to bring Sub-Registrar Offices under the Land Ministry have repeatedly failed despite recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee and previous interim government advisors. Former Land Adviser A F Hasan Arif noted that a World Bank-supported report had recommended transferring these offices, a process he initiated in 2008 but which subsequent governments reversed. Senior Land Secretary A S M Saleh Ahmed confirmed that proposals presented in December 2024 could not proceed due to objections from the Law Ministry.

Similarly, attempts to transfer FSCD to the Disaster Ministry under the 2012 Disaster Management Act were blocked by the Home Ministry, requiring disaster directives to still flow through multiple channels.

A table summarising key administrative misalignments and proposed reforms is presented below:

Experts emphasise that resolving these structural conflicts will significantly enhance efficiency, reduce corruption, and ensure that citizens receive timely and hassle-free services.