Bureaucracy has become stronger after fall of govt: Debapriya Bhattacharya

Debapriya Bhattacharya, Honorary Fellow of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Head of the White Paper Committee, has said that the country's bureaucracy has become stronger after the fall of the previous government.  The thief rule was established during the Awami League era. Bureaucrats, businessmen and politicians were in the that. Now the politicians have fled, businessmen are dying and bureaucrats have revived with full force.

He was speaking at a discussion titled ‘Bangladesh Economy 2025-26: Policy Reforms and National Budget’ at a hotel in the capital on Monday (May 19). 

It was organized by the Citizens' Platform for the Implementation of the CPD and SDGs.

Senior economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya commented that the government’s move to split the NBR into two entities was the right move and aligns with the “White Paper Committee,” but rejected the way it was done.

It was done without consultations with stakeholders all the while the stakeholders were kept in check, he noted, calling for resolving the problems on a priority basis.

It cannot be said with certainty that the economy has turned a corner following years of troubles, as unemployment is rising, poverty growing, real income falling and revenue income remains poor.