S. M. Shah Jalal Saiful, Special Correspondent: Amid longstanding allegations of irregularities and corruption surrounding the transfer and posting of government officials, the decision to introduce a lottery system for the transfer of sub-registrars for the first time is undoubtedly an exceptional initiative. If successfully implemented, this move, aimed at ensuring transparency, could set an example in curbing the practice of transfer trading in the government administration.

Recently, the Ministry of Law stated in a press release that a decision has been taken to post sub-registrars through a lottery system to ensure transparency in the transfer process. The lottery is scheduled to be held at a designated time at the conference room of the Ministry of Law. Sub-registrars currently working at sub-registry offices in different districts of the country will be transferred through a lottery to the designated posts at sub-registry offices in Dhaka district. The process is expected to be conducted in the presence of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman.

Allegations of corruption surrounding transfers and postings in government service are not new in Bangladesh. In particular, there have long been allegations of bribery involving important positions in various government offices dealing with land-related matters. The position of sub-registrar is no exception. There have been allegations that unethical transactions are used to secure postings in certain important and financially lucrative areas. As a result, if an official spends a large amount of money to obtain a particular post, there is a possibility that a tendency may develop to recover that money after assuming office. The direct impact of this falls on ordinary people.

The culture of transfer trading is not limited to sub-registry offices. There have been allegations of irregularities at various levels of government administration surrounding preferred workplaces, important posts or postings in financially advantageous areas. The media has also reported allegations in the past of large-scale financial transactions involving certain posts and workplaces. If an official spends money to secure a position, there is a possibility that a mindset may develop to recover that investment. This, in turn, can further strengthen the cycle of corruption.

Similar allegations have also been raised regarding the postings of various levels of law enforcement personnel. In particular, allegations of large-scale financial transactions in securing important positions at police stations in important and elite areas have surfaced publicly in the past. Allegations of financial transactions have also been heard regarding postings at relatively lower levels. If such allegations are true, the question arises: if an officer or employee has to pay a bribe to secure a position, to what extent can that person perform his or her duties honestly and impartially after assuming office?

There have also been allegations at various times of irregularities in the transfer and posting of judges of the lower courts. If allegations of financial transactions arise over transfers and postings in an institution as important as the judiciary, it could undermine public confidence in the entire justice system.

During the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, controversies also emerged surrounding postings and promotions. Allegations came to the fore at the time that bribery had taken place openly for appointments and promotions at the secretary level. At the same time, there was widespread discussion over allegations of irregularities and financial transactions in the appointment of deputy commissioners (DCs). Various allegations and sensational information concerning important administrative postings were also reported in the media during that period. These incidents indicated that even though governments changed, the culture of irregularities surrounding transfers, postings and promotions had not been easily eliminated.

Important positions in various government institutions, including the Forest Department, Public Works Department, Roads and Highways Department and Local Government Engineering Department, have also long been surrounded by allegations of irregularities and financial transactions. In some cases, certain districts or workplaces are considered more attractive, creating competition among officials to secure those positions. Allegedly, this competition has been exploited to establish a culture of unethical transactions. There have also been reports in the past of allegations involving large sums of money in connection with some high-level positions.

There have also been allegations of a transfer business involving doctors. It has long been alleged that a doctor may have to pay up to hundreds of thousands of taka to get transferred to Dhaka. Many doctors are reluctant to work outside Dhaka. One of the reasons is the excessive Dhaka-centric nature of the country’s administrative, economic and social systems. As a result, there is a strong desire to remain in the capital, and allegations of lobbying and financial transactions arise in connection with transfers to preferred workplaces.

During the Yunus administration, the large-scale transfer of doctors and employees in the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) also generated discussion. It was reported that the positions of 3,000 medical officers and 500 employees had been reshuffled. It was also discussed among concerned circles that such a large-scale transfer had not previously taken place in the directorate within such a short period. There were also allegations that many of the transferred doctors did not join their new workplaces at district and upazila levels. This raised concerns that the shortage of manpower in healthcare services in remote and upazila areas could become even more acute.

It is a reality that a large section of government employees want to work in the capital. But in a country of 180 million people, if everyone wants to work in Dhaka, how will the vast population outside the capital receive government services? The impact of this Dhaka-centricity can be seen in almost every sector, including healthcare, administration, law enforcement, land management and engineering. The existing system of transfers and postings also plays a major role behind this trend.

In this context, the decision to introduce a lottery system for transferring sub-registrars can be viewed as an important administrative reform. The biggest advantage of such a system is that it can reduce the scope for personal influence, lobbying or financial transactions in determining where an official will be posted. If qualified officials are posted through a lottery from a predetermined list, transparency in the transfer process will increase and opportunities for irregularities will decrease.

However, it cannot be assumed that corruption will be completely eliminated simply by introducing a lottery system. Alongside the lottery, the qualifications, performance, discipline, needs of the workplace and the duration of service at a particular posting should also be considered. At the same time, the entire lottery process must be public, technology-driven and auditable. This would further increase the credibility and acceptance of the initiative.

If this system proves successful for sub-registrars, its application to other important government positions could also be considered. For example, in the appointment of deputy commissioners, a transparent fit list could be prepared from among officials who meet predetermined eligibility criteria, and workplaces could be allocated through a policy-based lottery system. Similarly, transparent and automated systems could be introduced, where appropriate, for the transfer and posting of police station officers-in-charge (OCs) and doctors.

If an official receives a position without paying a bribe or using influence, a sense of moral responsibility is likely to develop in performing duties in that position. In such a situation, there should be no mindset of recovering money allegedly spent to obtain the position. Instead, the natural expectation is that the official will seek to maintain his or her position through efficiency, integrity and accountability to the public.

Therefore, the introduction of a lottery system for the transfer of sub-registrars should not be viewed merely as a change in the transfer process. It could mark the beginning of a new approach toward establishing transparency in government administration and combating transfer trading. The government could evaluate this experience and take initiatives to introduce similar effective mechanisms in other ministries and government institutions.

Simply enacting laws or creating fear of punishment is unlikely to produce the desired results in reducing corruption. Structural weaknesses that create opportunities for corruption must also be eliminated. If transfers and postings are one of those vulnerable areas, then initiatives to ensure transparency there are certainly important.

The lottery-based transfer system for sub-registrars is therefore a promising beginning. If implemented properly and evaluated regularly, it could not only reduce transfer trading in government service but also play a positive role in increasing accountability, impartiality and the quality of public service in the administration.