‘All Bureaucrats Are Thieves’: Why Such Reckless Remarks?

A. M. M. Bahauuddin

When the BNP returned to power through a popular vote after nearly 20 years, the country’s per capita debt burden stood at around Tk 130,000. Foreign investment has been lacking since Dr Yunus’s tenure. The Russia-Ukraine war and the war involving Israel, the United States and Iran have triggered a global energy crisis, whose impact has also reached Bangladesh, negatively affecting industrial production.

Just as foreign investors are showing interest in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who has been sentenced to death and is staying in Delhi, is plotting to create chaos. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has undertaken various programmes under the “Bangladesh First” initiative. The Family Card, Agriculture Card, canal excavation and free education for women are bold decisions. What is needed now is a united effort to revive the battered economy. The ruling party, opposition parties, political parties outside parliament, bureaucrats, law enforcement agencies and professionals must all work from their respective positions. The Prime Minister has repeatedly called upon everyone to contribute to nation-building.

At such a time, I was perplexed after seeing a statement by National Parliament Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. A social media photocard quoted him as saying, “All bureaucrats are thieves.” The statement received widespread media coverage and sparked debate on television talk shows. As bureaucrats expressed dissatisfaction, another statement by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo surfaced on social media. At a meeting in Lakshmipur on September 15, he reportedly said, “The job of government employees is to steal.” Newspapers also prominently published the remark.

What kind of statements are these? Are the Speaker and the minister provoking government employees? Political ministers and state ministers issue instructions, which bureaucrats implement. They often do not even keep track of where official documents are kept. That is the reality. Bureaucrats are therefore the lifeblood of the administration.

Is it possible to make the administration dynamic by excluding bureaucrats? It is true that Sheikh Hasina turned the administration into an Awami League-Chhatra League establishment during her 15 years and eight months in power. Therefore, caution is essential. At a time when bureaucrats of different views and political orientations should be inspired to build “Bangladesh First,” why are responsible government figures creating hostility among them through unwarranted remarks?

Our past experience shows that the civil administration, law enforcement agencies, engineers and doctors are united in protecting their respective interests. They have formed organisations under various names, and if something happens to one of them, others stand by that person. The same picture exists in every sector. While Sheikh Hasina’s associates are attempting to create chaos by using bureaucrats, responsible ministers and MPs should be more cautious in their remarks.

Seeing the uproar, I tried to find out what the Speaker and minister had actually said. At an event in Bhola, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed lamented, “What an extraordinary country we have! Most government officials are thieves. They engage in various forms of bribery and looting, as a result of which people are suffering terribly.” At a meeting in Lakshmipur, Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo said, “The job of our politicians is to give speeches. The job of government employees is to steal a little and do some work. However, we want society to change in line with current technology.”

When a group that does not want to see the BNP in power is active on social media, and another group is eager to turn the government’s slightest mistake into a major issue, responsible ministers and MPs should act with greater caution. Conspirators are working to paralyse the administration by creating divisions among bureaucrats. Why, then, would responsible government figures make such remarks?

I remembered the words of Abbas Bhai (Mirza Abbas, MP for Dhaka-8 and the Prime Minister’s political adviser). After returning home following prolonged medical treatment abroad, he advised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at a BNP founding anniversary discussion meeting on September 5 to remain alert to internal and external conspiracies. He said, “There are many conspiracies against this party, and there will be many more. There will also be many conspiracies against you. Please remain cautious.”

The advice of this tested BNP leader, who rose from the grassroots, is significant. Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman faced various conspiracies and brought people of different parties and views together when he founded the BNP. Those who joined the party at its inception or through its affiliated organisations cannot be expected to have the same devotion as former Ershad ministers and MPs or politicians and businessmen from the Awami League who later joined the BNP. We saw this during the One-Eleven period in 2007.

Regardless of how they entered BNP politics, they should follow and emulate Tarique Rahman. When he lived in London, we regularly spoke over the phone about the country’s politics and economy. Even then, I considered him a genuine patriot. Over the past six months since taking power, I have noticed significant changes in his political conduct and decisions based on reality.

His simple clothing, eating habits, personal lifestyle, punctuality, avoidance of unnecessary honorifics in official work, reduction of protocol and austerity, and decision to avoid personality-centred government publicity are noteworthy. Despite holding the office of Prime Minister, his service-oriented outlook, reduced pomp and humble presentation convey a message of narrowing the psychological distance between ordinary citizens and the country’s highest leadership.

He has called upon everyone to work together to build the country. His comparatively restrained, civil and constructive responses to opposition criticism represent a departure from the culture of mudslinging, threats, mockery and portraying political opponents as enemies. His refined conduct and exceptional courtesy may set a new standard in politics. Ministers, state ministers and MPs should follow his example.

When domestic and foreign adversaries are engaged in conspiracies, it is impossible to make the administration dynamic by unnecessarily picking a fight with the bureaucracy and insulting bureaucrats as “thieves.” Effective leadership requires getting the desired work done through communication, conduct and behaviour.

Looking back, what do we see? In 2020, after signing an agreement with China to purchase coronavirus vaccines, an advance payment of around Tk 550 crore was made to India instead. India took the money but failed to provide the vaccines on time. According to the writer, this happened because of the pro-India stance of some bureaucrats. If a bureaucrat engages in partisan activities or implements a different political agenda, they may be identified and dismissed or made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD). But calling all bureaucrats “thieves and bribe-takers” insults the entire bureaucracy and risks provoking them against the government.

During President Ziaur Rahman’s rule, around 90 to 95 percent of bureaucrats were supporters of Bangabandhu. Many had joined Baksal in large numbers. At one point, one BCS cadre was known as the “Tofail Cadre.” Yet Ziaur Rahman, through his leadership, brought talented and qualified individuals into the cabinet and parliament, brought pro-Mujib bureaucrats into the nationalist stream and made the administration dynamic.

A. Z. M. Nasiruddin, a former senior bureaucrat and adviser to the caretaker government in 1996, described Ziaur Rahman as an honest and exemplary statesman. According to him, Ziaur Rahman’s simple lifestyle, strict stance against waste of state funds, and culture of accountability and quick decision-making inspired officials to work with integrity and accelerated development activities. As his ministers and MPs followed his example, bureaucrats remained vigilant in carrying out their responsibilities.

I see the reflection of his father in Tarique Rahman. Therefore, to build “Bangladesh First,” cabinet members, the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and MPs must follow his example and make use of bureaucrats from the Secretariat to the upazila level. The country’s economy is in crisis, foreign investment is lacking and unemployment is rising. At the same time, those sitting in Delhi are eager to make Bangladesh bleed.

In such a situation, ministers, state ministers and MPs must work together rather than create divisions or provoke dissatisfaction among bureaucrats. H. M. Ershad also used bureaucrats to make the administration dynamic without creating divisions among them. Even Sheikh Hasina, despite openly politicising the administration, managed to get the expected work done without provoking widespread hostility among government employees.

It is impossible to make the administration dynamic by provoking bureaucrats. The experience of 1996 also shows the consequences of dissatisfaction within the bureaucracy.