Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher on Monday demanded a transparent, merit-based and impartial Public Service Commission (PSC) to keep ‘authoritarian ghosts’ at bay from the country’s bureaucracy.
“We want a PSC that is transparent, merit-based and impartial, so that no ‘dictatorial ghost’ can rule the administration anymore,” he said while briefing reporters during the lunch break of the 20th session of the second-round reform dialogue between the National Consensus Commission and political parties in the capital's Foreign Service Academy.
Taher said many talented young people were denied jobs in the past or lost their jobs due to political identity, which ultimately harmed the state the most.
“In our neighbouring countries, there’s no compromise over PSCs. They ensure that qualified people are appointed and the merits are valued in the administration to strengthen the state,” he said.
Criticising the existing system, the Jamaat leader said recruitment in the administration is sometimes determined by ‘a note from a drawer’.
“We want a PSC protected as an independent body by the Constitution and remains beyond the interference of any minister, prime minister or political party,” he added.
NCC vice chair Prof Ali Riaz on Monday morning raised a proposal for discussion over the appointment process to the PSC and three other key constitutional and statutory instinstitutions -- Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and Ombudsman’s Office.
The Jamaat leader said most political parties are in favour of enshrining these bodies' independence in the Constitution. But BNP and a few others argued for safeguards by laws instead of amending the Constitution is difficult.
“If these institutions are safeguarded by laws, any government with a majority can change the laws anytime in the morning and evening. So, it has to be in the Constitution to ensure stability and eliminate partisan advantage,” he said.
Regarding BNP’s walkout from the dialogue, Taher said, “We thank them for not boycotting the entire event and joining later. We don’t look at parties as government or opposition—we evaluate proposals based on what best serves the country.”
About the election, he said Jamaat is ready to contest but expressed concern over the lack of a level playing field and equal opportunities for all parties.
“If the election is held, our first agenda in the manifesto will be building a corruption-free Bangladesh,” Taher declared.