A comprehensive survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission has revealed that 80% of Bangladeshi citizens believe the country’s public administration system is not people-friendly.
The survey gathered responses from 1.05 lakh citizens via an online platform, providing a sweeping overview of public sentiment.
According to the findings, 56% of respondents identified political interference as the primary impediment to creating a more citizen-centric administration, while 42% pointed to corruption as the main barrier.
The survey also allowed participants to share open-ended opinions beyond structured questions.
Cabinet Division published the commission's full report on Friday (7 February), shedding light on the pervasive demand for reform.
Notably, 84.4% of citizens expressed the urgent need for structural changes within the public administration framework.
A significant 68.8% of respondents noted a pronounced lack of neutrality in public administration over the past 15 years.
Accountability emerged as the foremost priority for reform among 52% of participants, while 36% emphasised the elimination of corruption as a critical objective.
The survey highlighted troubling statistics on governance practices: nearly 96% of respondents reported experiencing a lack of transparency and accountability in administrative dealings.
Moreover, 66.4% of citizens perceived government officials as behaving like rulers rather than public servants, with 31% of this group describing officials as discourteous in their interactions.
Bribery and harassment remain endemic, with 52% of respondents asserting that obtaining services without paying bribes is nearly impossible, and 46% reporting direct experiences of harassment while seeking services.
In terms of administrative restructuring, 76% of participants believed that empowering the existing upazila system could enhance service delivery.
Additionally, 68% deemed the current district council system entirely ineffective, while 47% supported the integration of union councils and municipalities into the broader public administration framework.
The report further indicated that 57% of respondents advocated for stringent legislation to shield government employees from political pressure.
However, only 23% believed that the extensive digitisation of public services would ensure equitable access, and a mere 4% thought that increasing salaries and benefits would mitigate bribery and corruption.
These findings underscore the public’s overwhelming demand for transparency, accountability, and political neutrality in Bangladesh’s governance structures.
