The center column report in the front page of a local English daily on August 7 described the usual pattern of management going haywire, which is the hallmark of public sector management. Padma Oil Company Limited (POCL), a subsidiary of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, about which the report was presented, is no exception to such mismanagement. Rewarding, and thus reinforcing, wrong activities, and making it right has become the norm, since in public sector management, one can manage unbelievable things, as long s/he knows the right person upstairs! Riding the right horse is the name of the game there. For any employee at any level, the most important factor appears to be who they know and not what they know. Manipulating, conniving, forming cliques – such activities lead to career building, not skills and abilities. Abilities to manipulate rules, regulations and financial norms are the required credentials for climbing up the management ladder! After all, this particular case where there was a strong audit objection for misappropriating over eighty four crore taka did not stop the promotion of the official, Mosaddeque Hossain, who was accused of such high level corruption. After the audit department recommended strong punitive action against him, the incumbent was in fact rewarded with a promotion. How could this happen? Simply because the incumbent was at the right place at the right time and knew the right person who was fully capable of turning the wrong into right. So instead of punishment, promotion was the result. This is management merry-go-round in the public sector today - you take it, or leave it!
SA Mansoor
Dhaka