Report of the Public Administrative Efficiency Study, Vol-3, 1989

Abstract

The Constitution provides a presidential form of government in Bangladesh. The President is both head of state and head of the government. All executive authority is vested in him. He exercises that authority either directly or through subordinate officers in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The Constitution also provides for a Council of Ministers, consisting of a Prime Minister, one or more Deputy Prime Ministers, and other Ministers who are to aid and advise the President in the discharge of his executive functions. The business of the government is conducted through a number of ministries each in the charge of a Minister. Schedule I of the Rules of Business enumerates the detailed functions of the m i n i s t r i e s . Each M i n i s t r y cons i s t s of one or more Divisions. A Division is the principal unit of a Ministry responsible for the administration of a general area of government business. The Ministries and Divisions are divided into wings, branches and sections in order to ensure the efficient disposal of their business. The official head of a Ministry is the Secretary, a senior civil servant who acts as the principal advisor to the Minister on all matters of policy and administration. The Secretary is responsible for the proper conduct of business according to the Rules of Business and the Secretariat Instructions and also acts as the Principal Accounting Officer of the Ministry, Attached Departments and other Agencies under the control of the Ministry. In this capacity Secretary is responsible for making sure that funds are spent by the Ministry in accordance with the rules laid down by the Ministry of Finance.