We are concerned about the chaos gripping the civil administration following the fall of the Awami League government, resulting in disruptions in regular activities and services. According to a report by this daily, disorder, mainly due to a lack of qualified leadership, has been reigning in the ministries housed at the Secretariat Building, with frequent processions seen throughout last week. This situation must be handled deftly, lest the chaos leads to a deadlock in public services.

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The legality of the interim government

One issue highlighted by some mid-level officials is accumulated anger over top officials failing to lead by example. During the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina, these officials—mostly secretaries—spent their time running after various benefits. As the regime fell, a number of them did not show up at work—some switching off their phones—when their presence was needed. Moreover, there are no specific instructions yet about the general administration from the interim government, which took office on August 8.

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Police reform requires more than a change in uniform

On the other hand, officers from different ministries, mainly BCS cadres, have been demonstrating with various demands. Their grievances range from denial of promotions to unfavourable transfer orders to change of designation. What is astonishing is that a majority of them are seeking to safeguard their personal interests during a crisis. Given how the top officials acted so far, it is perhaps natural that those below them would follow suit. One secretary lamented that "it is unimaginable that BCS cadres… can behave like this." We can't say we are surprised, though. When competent and sincere officers are pushed aside while incompetent and corrupt officials are favoured, such an outcome is inevitable. There have been no administrative reforms over the last 15 years; those who sought such reforms were ignored or not allowed to work, said a joint secretary.

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Absconding mayors have created a crisis, but also an opportunity

Crisis has taken hold of the police administration as well. According to a report in Prothom Alo, there, too, partisanship has helped some police officials make impressive gains while those deemed remotely affiliated with the opposition were deprived of due benefits. Now, many of the police officers are in hiding while many have been dismissed from duty or made to retire because of past records. This has led to a sense of uncertainty among the junior and low-ranked officials.

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Metro rail operations must be resumed without delay

This state of affairs cannot continue. A civil administration cannot continue to be dysfunctional, just as the police force cannot wallow in uncertainty. We would like to remind public servants that their job requires a bit of compromise, especially during a crisis. We know that some of their grievances are genuine and need attention of the authorities. But given the current situation, they need to be patient and follow due process to get what they have been deprived of. The interim government, meanwhile, must deal with this situation firmly and judiciously to restore discipline, getting rid of the unruliness. It must also address all genuine grievances and bring to the fore competent, honest officials with good track records.

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Nation expects a lot from the interim government

Lastly, an administrative overhaul is crucial to ensure that the public administration and police authorities are able to operate independently and efficiently, regardless of who sits at the helm of the government.

The Awami League government's questionable policies in the power and energy sector badly affected the economy over the last 15 years, prompting experts to frequently call for reforms but to no avail. Now that the interim government has taken charge, we hope to see the initiation of some much-needed actions in that regard. The three-step proposal given by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) shows where the focus should be. It has put forth a 100-day plan highlighting the key priorities, followed by significant reforms stretching over the next six months.

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Why must the public bear the burden of capacity charges?

In particular, four acts and policies highlighted by the CPD need immediate revisions since those were made primarily to benefit vested interest groups. For instance, through the enactment of the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Act, also known as the Indemnity Act, the erstwhile government awarded public works to conglomerates without issuing any tender notices, while no public procurement rules were followed either. This act should be repealed immediately. The other acts that need revisions are the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Act, the Renewable Energy Policy, and the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP).

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Unearth all banking sector irregularities

The need for the BERC to operate independently cannot be stressed enough. The amendment to the relevant act, done in 2022 to empower the government to set power and energy tariffs on its own under "special circumstances," without holding any public hearing, was a shady decision that frequently shot up energy prices. This needs to change. In addition, the IEPMP needs to be revised because the government allegedly projected faulty energy and power demand in it. Moreover, the suggestion to link the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority with the chief adviser's office also deserves consideration, as it will hopefully speed up phasing out of the fossil fuel-based power plants.

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Implementation of a banking commission to address challenges in the sector

Phasing out the inefficient power plants should be another goal for the interim government. According to the CPD, the Awami League government paid a total of around Tk 105,000 crore as capacity payments to power plant owners in the 14 years up to August 2023, which is outrageous. So much money was squandered while citizens were either deprived of power or forced to pay exorbitantly for it. Revising the power purchase contracts and incorporating a "no electricity, no pay" clause will lessen the burden of capacity payments.

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Police reform requires more than a change in uniform

These are just a few key areas that need immediate attention from the interim government. There are many other short- and long-term suggestions given by the CPD which are quite well-thought-out, and can, if properly implemented, ensure competition, efficiency, transparency and accountability in the power and energy sector.

It is disheartening to see the continued suspension of Dhaka metro rail services—now into its second month—despite earlier assurances about services resuming on August 17. On Sunday, the newly appointed adviser of the road transport and bridges ministry expressed hope that the metro rail would be operational within seven days. And an announcement in this regard may come as early as Monday when a reconstituted board of the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) is set to convene to discuss grievances of the employees refusing to return to work. What all this means for the commuters is a few more days of suffering before things get better.

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A game-changer for Dhaka commute

The metro work abstention is but a reflection of the chaos and disruption being witnessed across the civil service after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5. At the Secretariat, for example, there have been frequent processions by civil servants who were previously denied promotions, for political reasons or poor performance, or preferred placements—all seeking personal benefits rather than better public services. Although the closure of metro services since July 18 was initially linked to the vandalism of two stations during the quota reform protests, it later transpired that around 700 DMTCL employees from grades 10 to 20 have been holding a strike since August 6, shutting any chances of prompt resumption.

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After metro rail, Dhaka’s buses should be the next megaproject

According to our report, the employees have six demands, including one for salary increase. They argue that those in grades 1 to 9 earn 2.3 times the national pay scale, while those in grades 10 to 20 earn twice the pay scale. They see this as "discrimination," and are demanding that it be rectified. This calls for a comprehensive review of the pay and benefits at DMTCL, which we hope the board will do soon. However, we cannot condone a total work stoppage for something that can be resolved amicably, especially when said stoppage has left thousands of daily commuters struggling with increased travel times, overcrowded roads, and higher transportation costs. The metro was designed to alleviate severe traffic congestion in Dhaka, and its absence is a significant setback.

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The bittersweet dream of Dhaka’s metro rail

Resuming its services, therefore, must be a top priority. The interim government's role in this regard is critical. It must ensure that the DMTCL management is supported in meeting the legitimate demands of its employees while also safeguarding the interests of the public. In the long run, the authorities must learn from this experience. Employee grievances should never be allowed to fester to a point where they disrupt essential services. On their part, the protesting employees, too, must understand that they cannot hold the public hostage for their own benefits. It is completely against the spirit of public service.

It is alarming that the evil politics of exploiting public spaces to extort citizens continues despite a regime change mere days ago. After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, groups claiming allegiance to the BNP, now the central party in Bangladesh, are already trying to assert their dominance in slums and footpaths where AL-linked groups exerted their power for 15 years, according to a report in this daily.

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Free up our footpaths!

Over the years, we have seen how unscrupulous political elements often took control of government land, built illegal shanties and shops, and sold unauthorised and often risky utility services at exorbitant prices in collusion with corrupt public officials. Similarly, such elements also took control of footpaths and extorted money from hawkers for conducting their business there. Even though a non-political interim government is now in power, pro-BNP elements, who had been absent from the politics of territory control for almost two decades because of AL's absolute dominance, could not wait for their term to wield their muscle power.

According to our report, they have already grabbed shanties, shops, clubs, and offices previously occupied by AL men in a number of places in Dhaka. Similar scenes have likely been unfolding in other cities as well thanks to the power vacuum created by recent events and the resultant mass escape by AL leaders. Thankfully, in some places, marauding cadres pulled away after receiving warnings from party high-ups. In other places, citizens' groups have intervened to thwart potential extortionists.

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Our footpaths need to be freed

While we welcome BNP high-ups' effort to control their party activists, this is not enough. The political culture of allowing exploitation of public spaces to appease party activists and affiliates at the expense of the poor must stop. On the other hand, relevant government bodies including city corporations and utility companies must take stern measures to prevent illegal use of public spaces, properties and services. They should also mete out punishment to corrupt officials and law enforcers if found guilty of aiding political elements in such practices.

However, any measure to correct long years of wrongdoing should not lead to dispossessing and depriving anyone of a home or a means of living. We are talking about a proper rehabilitation of slum dwellers and street vendors. We hope that the interim government will initiate dialogue with experts and relevant stakeholders to address the underlying issues related to city slums and informal businesses on footpaths, and come up with sustainable solutions.

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