Bangladesh’s administrative framework faces chronic inefficiencies due to overlapping jurisdictions and poor inter-ministerial coordination, significantly affecting essential public services. From disaster response to land management and religious registration, these structural inconsistencies continue to frustrate citizens and slow down governance.
In cases of natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes, floods, or landslides, the frontline response is carried out by the Fire Service and Civil Defence Department. While the allocation for rescue equipment comes from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the department itself operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Staffing, transfers, and operational control remain with Home Affairs, even though 90 percent of directives come from the Disaster Management Ministry. This split authority often results in delays and inefficiencies during critical emergencies.
Similarly, the Sub-Registrar Offices, which handle crucial land-related services including registration and dispute resolution, face structural challenges. Despite conducting 90 percent of their work in land administration, these offices fall under the Department of Registration within the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs rather than the Ministry of Land.
Furthermore, in accordance with Islamic law, marriage and nikah registration is conducted by the country’s Qazi community, which should logically operate under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Instead, these offices are also administered by the Department of Registration. The result is prolonged bureaucratic “turf wars” between ministries, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of administrative inefficiencies.
Experts and former senior officials have repeatedly highlighted the need for reform. Md. Firoz Mia, a former Additional Secretary, told reporters, “Aligning these administrative functions under relevant ministries would greatly reduce public inconvenience. Revising the ‘allocation of business’ structure is essential, and the government’s top levels must act decisively.”
Attempts to address the issue have repeatedly stalled. For instance, efforts to place the Sub-Registrar Office under the Ministry of Land in 2008, supported by World Bank reports, were reversed by subsequent governments. Similarly, moves to bring the Fire Service under the Disaster Management Ministry in 2012 were blocked by the Ministry of Home Affairs, maintaining the current dual-authority system.
The following table summarises the current administrative mismatches:
| Department / Service | Primary Function | Current Supervising Ministry | Actual Control | Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Service & Civil Defence | Disaster response & rescue | Disaster Management & Relief | Home Affairs | Conflicting directives |
| Sub-Registrar Office | Land registration & dispute resolution | Law & Justice | Law & Justice | Land-related work under wrong ministry |
| Qazi Offices | Marriage & nikah registration | Law & Justice | Law & Justice | Should fall under Religious Affairs |
Officials and experts stress that resolving these conflicts by aligning departments with their functional ministries would streamline operations, improve transparency, and prioritise citizens’ needs over bureaucratic turf battles. Without such reforms, administrative chaos and public frustration are likely to persist.
This systemic reform is now a pressing priority for the newly elected government, which must reconcile historical conflicts between influential ministries to ensure an efficient, citizen-focused administration.