ABSTRACT
This entry explores the public policy process of Bangladesh. Specifically, it describes the relationship between political and bureaucratic actors from a historical institutional perspective to understand how this relationship affects the policy outcomes. At independence in 1971, Bangladesh inherited the British “colonial legacy” in its administration with a powerful and well-trained bureaucracy. The bureaucracy shaped the initial policy and political development process until the emergence of democracy in 1991. Since 1991, though democratic, the political system of Bangladesh reflects the presence of a “clientelist” politics providing public resources to party loyalists. Misappropriation of public resources requires the support of the bureaucrats. Thus, the democratic governments emphasized on ensuring the complete subordination of the bureaucracy to political elites. However, we argue that over the period, the bureaucracy due to its position, power, expertise, and technical efficiency has been able to control the policy process to a large extent. Despite continuous efforts on the part of the ruling political elites, the lack of competence and efficiency of political elites in the policy process has resulted in bureaucratic control over policies. The legislature has been left with no real role to play other than just approving the policies.
