Bangladesh Studies and Culture 31 feood Governance Good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions, It’s not about raking correct decisions but about the best possible process for making those decison toons dession-making processes, and therefore good governance, share several charasterivicg at havea sitive effect on various aspects of local government including consultation policies and practices, meeting procedures, service quality protocols, councillor and officer conduct, role clarification and. good working relationships, Principles for good governance at local level Conduct of Elections, Representation and Participation Responsiveness Efficiency and Effectiveness Openness and Transparency Rule of Law Ethical Conduct Competence and Capacity Innovation and Openness to Change . Sustainability and Long-term Orientation 10. Sound Financial Management 11, Human rights, Cultural Diversity and Social Cohesion Pera eepr (Characteristics of Good Governance Participation ; 7 All men and women should have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimat: intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Such broad participation is built on freedom o association and speech, as well as capacities to participate constructively. Rule of law Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights. Transpa rency Tansparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes, institutions and information are irectly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough information is provided to understand and monitor them. Responsiveness Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders, Consensus orientation Good governance mediates differing imterests to reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interests of the group and, where possible, on policies and procedures.316 Bangladesh Studies and Culture Equity All men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being. Effectiveness and efficiency Processes and institutions produce results that meet needs while making the best use of resources, Accountability Decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society organisations are accountable tg the public, as well as to institutional stakeholders. This accountability differs depending on the organisations and whether the decision is internal or external to an organisation. Strategic vision Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on good governance and humen development, along with a sense of what is necded for such development. There is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities in which that perspective is grounded, _How to ensure good governance in Bangladesh Good governance is a much-talked-about issue of the day. It has been defined as ‘the exerci e of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country's affairs’ at all levels, Governance and development are inextricably linked with each other. Good governance is 4 Prerequisite for sustainable development. There are some important components of good governance Legitimacy Good governance presupposes a legitimate government i.e. a government elected through free and fair election. An autocratic or illegitimate government can notch up spectacular economic development but in the absence of free expression of thought and freedom of speech, good governance will remain an elusive goal. Hence an autocratic or illegitimate government a anathema to good governance. } Rule of law | The rule of law implies that all citizens irrespective of their race, religion, sex and political affiliation are equal in the eye of law and are entitled to equal legal protection. Protection of human rights {orture, degrading treatment of victims by law enforcing agencies, illegal detention and engaging Somebody in any unethical profession or in any profession against his/her will are examples of violation of human rights, Accountal Accountability is the hallmark of Bood governance and lack of it breeds corruption and encourage’ highhandedness and excesses on the part of the executive organ of the state.Bangladesh Studies and Culture 37 pransparency ransparency means that the government must share information with the people and ensure its ri gissemination to them. People should have access to all the documents of the government wept tiose which have bearing on national security. Lack of it results in misuse of power and preeds corruption. Efficiency Efficiency, an important component of good governance, depends on proper recruitment, training, posting and promotion on the basis of merit and not on any extraneous factor. Speed of work is also a hallmark of efficiency. _pangladesh context Though an electoral democracy, Bangladesh lacks in many of the components of good governance. A democratic culture is yet to take its root in Bangladesh. Politics has been confrontational instead of teing consensual. State machinery is characterised by pettiness, ill will and use of resources in personal and party interests. Transparency is poor and accountability is almost non-existent. The Nministration is dubbed corrupt and inefficient. The civil society is fragmented. Establishing good governance demands a policy package which should incorporate the following: Political culture Political culture has important bearing on good governance. Success of a democracy is not a matter of having the most perfect institutional structure that we can think of. It depends inescapably on our actual behavioural patterns and the working of political and social interactions. The politicians must be honest and committed. If they can rise above corruption and set self-sacrificing examples, it will help establish good governance. The process of decision- making has to be consensual, as in the contemporary political philosophy, democracy is seen as a government by discussion and as the exercise of public reason through deliberations by citizens on public political questions. Administrative culture If appointments, transfers and promotions of government servants are made on the basis of well- defined criteria and their jobs are well protected by law, there will be no scope of using them Party/personal interest. Public servants must maintain neutrality, which is the fundamental characteristic of bureaucracy. Stem action should be preseribed in law if CBAs (collective bargaining agents) attend political meetings during office hours and shirk their duties. Watchdog Print and electronic media, a vibrant civil sociely and responsible opposition parties can create public opinions to check the misuse of authority by the rulers and their cohorts. Journalists’ right to freedom of expression can be protected if the journalists become united and thwart any covert or overt attempt of the government to muzzle their voice.318 Bangladesh Studies and Culture Institutional system Good governance depends on the proper functioning of three organs of the state-the executive legislature and the judiciary. For ensuring good governance, one organ of the state should not encroach upon the domain of the other. The head of the government, the head of the party in power and the leader of parliament should be three persons for the sake of ensuring check and balance in exercising powers. There should be a constitutional provision against involvement of law-makers in selection of development projects and distribution of relief which should be left to the local bodies an administration. Constitutional provisions should also be there for review of appointments to constitutional posts and to the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Human Rights Commission by a Parliamentary Committee consisting of an equal number of members from both treasury and opposition benches. Culture of political vengeance Good governance demands that citizens should be ruled by Jaws and rules and a government must take decisions in the light of set criteria and not on the basis of whims and caprices. The ruling party alliance must get rid of culture of political vengeance against the opposition, Otherwise, every party/alliance will be victim of it by turn. Judicial activism For the sake of good governance, the higher judiciary should come forward on its own volition fo enforce in public interest the rights of a person or authority. Office of Ombudsman In order to ensure good governance, an ombudsman should immediately be put in place to investigate the wrongful action taken by any person/authority. Human Rights Commission It can serve as an effective check against any abuse or misuse of power by any authority and can help establish good governance. It should be given more authority to play an effective role so that it can meet the expectation of the people. Otherwise, it cannot justify its existence. Decentralization Maximum powers in terms of planning and implementation of development projects and mobilisation of resources should be decentralised at different levels of local government bodies. Restoration of the Local Government Commission is the crying need of the hour. The decision- making processes (powers of Local Government Engineering Department and the Public Health Engineering Department) are highly centralised and hence these two departments should be abolished and the functions of these two departments should be vested in the district and sub-district (Upazila) councils. The district councils must be run by elected representatives as per Article 59 of the Constitution. The provision of appointment of administrators for district councils should be immediately rescinded.Bangladesh Studi lesh Studies and Culture a9 ‘pransparency ing good governance, the establishing gooe nance, the government i Le etsy acess to information. machinery should be transparent and people should reduction of corruption be a co-existence be ‘There cannot tween corruption and ‘ good governance. The Anti-C Come aia ae by honest and courageous people so as to daunt the Me at coments. I Spl ha > gence unit to collect information on corruption and should rc sn allegations tion and should not merely Other tools The system of reporting, auditing, monitoring, supervision, it i system Of > % , inspection and parliamenta committees’ hearing ‘should be strengthencd to establish accountably and thereby wood Cuvernance in Bangladesh. fe has its impact on the society as a whole all concemed should assiduously contribute Since governanc' dds implementing the package referred to above. their mites towar' Bufeaucracy ‘Administration of a government chiefly through anicials, A bureaucracy is a group of non-elected that implements the rules, laws, ideas, and functions of their institution. ry in the Politics of Bangladesh ficant role. With the expansion of the government’s ‘are welfare states, so they bureaus or departments staffed with nonelected officials within a government or other institution Role of Bureaucrac Inthe modem state bureaucracy plays very signi duty and responsibility the duty of bureaucrat increases. AS modem states are are to complete a great number of works. And for this the government is to depend upon the bureaucrat, Both in developed and UN Geveloped country bureaucracy plays a very important role. Regarding this professor finer says, “The fanetion of the bureaucracy is Not merely an improvement of government, indeed. Without it, government ttt could be impossible.” Efficiency and ‘anonymity are the tro main characteristics of civil service. But among the bureaucrats of ANY countries these qualitics are not seen. hanges. But the he role of bureaucracy in the politics ection helds. So government ch e years cl yut tl i a democratic country after every five y wureaucrats are not changed. Here we will discuss detail abo of Bangladesh. of the government and Determinii 7 ining Policy work artistic skill is must. ‘n our country, other country also, paniulring she wae ministers only sign. Government polic ry complex: Bureaucrats are those who have this kill320 Bangladesh Studies and Culture Framing Legislation In Bangladesh enact any law bureaucrat play a very important role. Important bills Presented in th parliament are prepared by the bureaucrats. They justifying and out of the bill and then it’s Presenteg in the parliament. Influencing the legislature They supply necessary information regarding different govt, department and organizations Sometimes they influence the conference committee according to their own interest. Carrying out routine work of government Bureaucracy execute daily routine work of government. Education, public welfare, social security, police, judiciary, tax, law and order ete, are included in these works. Implementing legislation and policies Bureaucrats not only draw up laws and principles but also substantiate them. Indeed the bureaucracy is more influential in this regard. They can repeal or enact any law according to their necessity Keeping contract between the public and government In Bangladesh bureaucrats play the role of liaison between the government and public. They infora | the people about the government activities and people inform them about their problem and want | solution. Development works Success of various development activities largely depends upon the bureaucrats. They devote in nation building work and plan and materialize them timely. Implementing social change Bureaucrats play vital role in social change. They help the governments to understand the changing social demand s and find out the way to fulfill them. Non-political role Bureaucrats should play non political role. But it is a matter of regret that bureaucrats in Bangladesh. to a large extent are derailed, very often they are found in liaison with ruling political pary: Sometimes ruling party oppresses the bureaucrats who do not submit themselves to the whim of the ministers on leaders. We have witnessed such quarrel between ministers and bureaucrats. In fine we can say that the role of bureaucrats can not be ignored in Bangladesh, a developing coun They play very significant role in our social, political and economical change. if they can avo ‘ ! cia > ane geconormca) chal il Coruption, nepotism and work with patriotism and impartial political attitude, Bangladesh improve faster.