ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN BANGLADESH

This comprehensive analysis examines administrative reform initiatives in Bangladesh during the first decade of independence and assesses their impact on development outcomes. The article explores the conceptual frameworks, implementation strategies, and institutional outcomes of various administrative reform efforts from 1971 to 1982. The research investigates how different political regimes approached administrative reform and analyzes the relationship between administrative structures and development effectiveness. The study examines major reform initiatives including the restructuring of central ministries, decentralization efforts, civil service reforms, and local government institution-building. The article assesses the impact of administrative reforms on service delivery, policy implementation, and public accountability. The research also identifies persistent challenges in public administration and proposes directions for future reform initiatives to enhance developmental capacity.

Administrative reform represented a critical dimension of state-building in independent Bangladesh, with this article providing a comprehensive analysis of reform initiatives and their development impact during the first decade. The research begins by examining the administrative legacy inherited from colonial and Pakistani periods, analyzing how this legacy influenced early reform approaches and institutional development. The analysis explores the conceptual frameworks that informed administrative reform, examining how different models including development administration, new public administration, and indigenous innovation shaped reform initiatives. The article investigates major reform efforts under different political regimes, including the restructuring of central government ministries, reorganization of field administration, and creation of new development-focused institutions. The study examines decentralization initiatives, analyzing attempts to strengthen local government institutions and devolve administrative authority to district, upazila, and union levels. The research assesses civil service reforms, including changes in recruitment, training, promotion systems, and the relationship between generalist and specialist cadres. The article analyzes the impact of administrative reforms on development program implementation, examining how institutional changes affected agriculture extension, rural development, industrial promotion, and social service delivery. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article identifies both achievements and limitations in administrative reform efforts and analyzes the factors that facilitated or constrained successful implementation. The findings provide valuable insights into the challenges of building effective administrative systems in post-colonial states and contribute to understanding the relationship between governance structures and development outcomes.