Sadik Hasan | University of Dhaka, Bangladesh (original) (raw)

Books by Sadik Hasan

Outsourcing or Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is one of the few buzzwords that has attracted ... more Outsourcing or Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is one of the few buzzwords that has attracted the spotlight in today’s ICT-driven world. In plain and simple sense, the contacting of another individual or company, either domestically or internationally, to handle non-primary business activities and functions can be termed as outsourcing or Business Process Outsourcing. Countries like India, Brazil, the Philippines, Dominica, Israel, China, Romania and the Russian Federation meeting the needs of companies of the developed industrialized world and at the same time creating many employment opportunities in the process. In recent times, these countries are eyeing to move to next level of this outsourcing value chains. Interest of Bangladesh lies here to seize the opportunity of making itself a BPO destination. However, there is a scarcity of study and literature on this issue which could give the evolving industry and its actors and stakeholders an opportunity to review the present status and take necessary steps to achieve the most. BPO Sector in Bangladesh: Issues and Challenges is perhaps the first coordinated attempt to assess the sector from a holistic approach to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the industry and suggest the way forward to overcome the challenges.

The Multi-purpose Cooperative Society of Mujib period, Swanirvar Gram Sarkar of Zia period, Palli Parishad of Ershad period, Gram Parishad of Sheikh Hasina period were remained confined in enactment of acts but Gram Sarkar in the BNP-led Four-party Alliance government period was the first effort that has come into being amid legal challenges. These are not only mere reform initiatives rather all-out initiative to use the local government system to serve the political interests. This study refers to the role of the women members in that initiative with an in-depth discussion of reform initiatives of local government system in Bangladesh. In doing so, this book has covered the issues like the constitutional provisions and verdict of the Supreme Court regarding local government, status of women in different sectors, historical development of Gram Sarkar system, etc along with a brief theoretical discussion of local government.

Papers by Sadik Hasan

Social sciences review, Apr 1, 2024

Australasian Parliamentary Review, Mar 1, 2019

Dynamics of Public Administration, 2021

Women in Governing Institutions in South Asia, 2017

This chapter investigates the role of reserved-seat women parliamentarians in Bangladesh—those el... more This chapter investigates the role of reserved-seat women parliamentarians in Bangladesh—those elected indirectly to the parliament, now numbering 50, using the notions of descriptive representation and substantive representation developed by Pitkin Empirical evidence shows that the ‘quota women ’ are not as docile as people often tend to assume; they have, in fact, fared better than the popularly elected women parliamentarians in performing parliamentary functions. Several factors, however, still discourage them to play a major proactive role. This paper identifies those factors, based on a review of secondary literature as well as in-depth interview with several women MPs and examines the implications for empowering women in parliament

Science, Technology and Society, 2014

Though the race toward introducing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in government m... more Though the race toward introducing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in government machinery experienced a bumpy ride in its initial years, Bangladesh has taken a firm stance in favour of ICT since late 1996. During the last one and a half decades, Bangladesh has attained some major achievements in the ICT sector along with the adoption of the vision of establishing full-fledged ICT-driven governance, that is, Digital Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh’s performance in the global e-government index is not a satisfying one. This is to say that it shows a gap between initiatives and reality. This paper, therefore, explores the aptness of ICT frameworks comprised with legal, institutional and infrastructural components in establishing ICT-driven governance in Bangladesh. The arcticle is a study of the impact of the frameworks on sampled e-governance initiatives along with challenges. This artcile concludes that the ICT endeavours require more close supervision and effective c...

Dynamics of Public Administration, 2016

Information and communication technology introduces an array of options of accessing government s... more Information and communication technology introduces an array of options of accessing government services and information on citizens’ own terms. These terms include citizens’ expectations of availing 24×7 services from anywhere through multiple channels at their convenience. To facilitate more access to government services and information, Bangladesh, like other governments of the world, has taken several measures to implement the concept of e-government which resulted into the introduction of the theme of ‘Digital Bangladesh’ (DB) in 2009 integrating all the measures and initiatives of e-government under a single vision. One of the key objectives of the DB is to ensure the technology-based delivery of services at the doorsteps of citizens especially to reach the unreached. In this context, the paper enquires about the emerging form of public service delivery network under the theme of DB particularly focusing on the strategic components like self-service web portal, Public Information Centres installed at different administrative levels and cell phone-based applications. It also attempts to identify the challenges that pose obstruction to the smooth realisation of the initiative. The study concludes that in spite of the challenges, the taken strategies play a seminal role in making the public service delivery more competent and thereby achieving the purpose of reaching the unreached citizen effectively.

Public Affairs And Governance, 2015

In Bangladesh, government has introduced several innovative ideas to deliver services. Among thes... more In Bangladesh, government has introduced several innovative ideas to deliver services. Among these, the Public Information Centre (PIC) emerges as one of the most used channels in both public and private sectors. This article, therefore, probes into the efficacy of the government PICs focusing particularly on the Union Digital Centre (UDC) installed at the union level. It concludes with the observation that the experience of UDCs in Bangladesh implies PICs not only as an innovation to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and convenience in e-service delivery rather a unique mechanism to reach and bring in change in the lives of unreached.

Information Studies, 2015

Like others, Bangladesh government has taken initiative to deliver government services electronic... more Like others, Bangladesh government has taken initiative to deliver government services electronically in addition to traditional format. At present, Bangladesh is implementing e-government scheme under a political vision—Digital Bangladesh. The National ICT Policy of the country is also very much specific in spelling out the actors, allotted time-periods, and outcomes. Such endeavor is providing citizens with the convenience of receiving government information and services on their own terms, which has brought a key change in the government-citizen interactions. This study, therefore, intends to find the perception of citizens about the electronic delivery of services comparing it to the traditional format using mass-user survey. The findings indicate that occupational track affects the perception. The paper concludes that most of the stakeholders in Bangladesh favor the electronic format over the conventional one regarding efficiency in service delivery.

Village government is not a unique idea in the history of Bangladesh. Historians have traced the ... more Village government is not a unique idea in the history of Bangladesh. Historians have traced the existence of village councils during the Vedic period (1500 B.C.—1000 B.C.). After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, all the governments of Bangladesh—both military and civil—took initiatives to introduce local government institutions at village level. The Multi-purpose Cooperative Society of Mujib period, Swanirvar Gram Sarkar of Zia period, Palli Parishad of Ershad period, Gram Parishad of Sheikh Hasina period were remained confined in enactment of acts but Gram Sarkar in the BNP-led Four-party Alliance government period was the first effort that has come into being amid legal challenges. These are not only mere reform initiatives rather all-out initiative to use the local government system to serve the political interests. This study refers to the role of the women members in that initiative with an in-depth discussion of reform initiatives of local government system in Bangladesh. In doing so, this book has covered the issues like the constitutional provisions and verdict of the Supreme Court regarding local government, status of women in different sectors, historical development of Gram Sarkar system, etc along with a brief theoretical discussion of local government.

Public Affairs And Governance, 2017

In the context of the use and growth of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in other d... more In the context of the use and growth of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in other developing and neighbouring countries, Bangladesh was a little late in realising the potentials of ICT. Bangladesh has taken a firm stance in favour of ICT since 1997. Despite that, the initiatives and efforts of the successive governments suffered from confusion, fear and ignorance about ICT and its potentials along with enthusiasm. In the context of this reality, this paper studies the nature of initiatives and efforts of various governments taken during 1996 to 2013 in developing and implementing the policies and legislation including the National ICT. The paper observes that the attitudes of political leadership vary as political power changes hands as all political leaderships do not perceive ICT as a bearer of positive change in government machinery. The paper concludes with the arguments that ICT in Bangladesh is gaining strong institutionalised form as the political responses have become more confident.

Economic innovations, 2018

Topicality. The processes of the reforming and transforming of the state administration system in... more Topicality. The processes of the reforming and transforming of the state administration system in the country, which have been going on for more than a quarter of a century and do not lead to a significant increase in the level of well-being and do not allow to achieve even the values of indicators of socio-economic development of the 1991th year’s level, determine the relevance of the development of conceptual and scientific- methodological approaches to the organization of management system and public administration in the national economy. The main conceptual idea is to determine the direction of further socio-economic development of society and to regulate the transformation of the national economy management system on the basis of the prevalence of the actual significance and effectiveness of the system of state administration over the fact of its functioning for the sake of its own existence.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to determine the conceptual framework for...

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009, was a milestone in the legal history of Bangladesh to e... more The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009, was a milestone in the legal history of Bangladesh to ensure people’s right to obtain information from the government offices and other organizations. This act covers most bodies owned, controlled, or substantially financed either directly or indirectly by the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The act aims at giving citizens the right to hold the government accountable. In the 1990s, civil society advocated for the RTI Act as one of the best-fitted tools to establish good governance. The act was drafted by the government and civil society organizations (CSOs) together, following an analysis of a few other RTI Acts. A caretaker administration further cemented the path for the introduction of the RTI Act. The Council of Advisors of the caretaker administration approved the RTI Ordinance in September 2008, and it became formally recognized as a law from October 20, 2008. The democratically elected new government passed the R...

Introduction Use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in government activities has bec... more Introduction Use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in government activities has become a common phenomenon in recent years. In the late 1990s, ICT introduced a unique concept--electronic government (e-government)--in the field of public administration. To date, various technologies have been applied to support the unique characteristics of e-government, including electronic data interchange, interactive voice response, voice mail, email, web service delivery, virtual reality, and key public infrastructure. (1) The web and other technologies have shown potential as effective and efficient managerial tools that collect, store, organize, and manage voluminous information. The most current information can be uploaded and downloaded on the Internet on a real-time basis. Governments can also transfer funds electronically to governmental agencies or provide information to public employees through an intranet or Internet system. Additionally, governments can perform many routi...

Social sciences review, Apr 1, 2024

Australasian Parliamentary Review, Mar 1, 2019

Dynamics of Public Administration, 2021

Women in Governing Institutions in South Asia, 2017

Science, Technology and Society, 2014

Dynamics of Public Administration, 2016

Public Affairs And Governance, 2015

Information Studies, 2015

Public Affairs And Governance, 2017

Economic innovations, 2018

International Journal of Social Sciences, 2016

In the context of the use and growth of ICT in other developing and neighbouring countries, Bangl... more In the context of the use and growth of ICT in other developing and neighbouring countries, Bangladesh was a little late in realising the potentials of ICT. Bangladesh has taken a firm stance in favour of ICT since 1997. Despite that the initiatives and efforts of the successive governments suffered from confusion, fear, and ignorance about ICT and its potentials along with enthusiasm. In the context of this reality, this paper studies the nature of initiatives and efforts of various governments taken during 1996 to 2013 in developing and implementing the policies and legislation including the National ICT. The paper concludes with the arguments that the attitudes of political leadership varies as political power changes hands since all political leaderships do not perceive ICT as a bearer of positive change in government machinery.

Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy and Governance, 2019

Governance and public administration are two key issues, which can be described as two sides of a... more Governance and public administration are two key issues, which can be described as two sides of a coin. These two concepts are intertwined through another one – government. The traditional use of “governance” and its dictionary entry define it as a synonym for “government” signifying the exercise of authority over a territory or system, or in an institution, a state, or an organization (Stoker 1998). Governance, to Badun (2004), “refers primarily to government, and one of the pillars of government is public administration.” Yet the growing work on governance comprises a variation in its use and construction. It would not be far from truth to say that in recent times “governance” has become a buzzword, replacing commonplace “government.”

Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy and Governance, Sep 2018

Bureaucratic autonomy is one of those concepts that have fascinated the scholars of both public a... more Bureaucratic autonomy is one of those concepts that have fascinated the scholars of both public administration and political science for a long time. Such fascination inspires the scholars to carry out research from diverse perspectives on different aspects of bureaucratic autonomy. However, such diversified literatures fail to produce consensus among the scholars over the meaning, definition, nature, measurement mechanism, etc. of bureaucratic autonomy.

Women in Governing Institutions in South Asia: Parliament, Civil Service and Local Government, Aug 24, 2017

This chapter investigates the role of reserved-seat women parliamentarians in Bangladesh—those el... more This chapter investigates the role of reserved-seat women parliamentarians in Bangladesh—those elected indirectly to the parliament, now numbering 50, using the notions of descriptive representation and substantive representation developed by Pitkin Empirical evidence shows that the ‘quota women’ are not as docile as people often tend to assume; they have, in fact, fared better than the popularly elected women parliamentarians in performing parliamentary functions. Several factors, however, still discourage them to play a major proactive role. This paper identifies those factors, based on a review of secondary literature as well as in-depth interview with several women MPs and examines the implications for empowering women in parliament.

Parliament, Public Policy, Local Government and Public Service Delivery in Bangladesh, Apr 2018

Bangladesh’s two decades long journey to set up digital governance, using various tools of Inform... more Bangladesh’s two decades long journey to set up digital governance, using various tools of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), began in late 1996. To steer the growth of the ICT-driven governance, the National ICT Policy of Bangladesh was first adopted in 2002, followed by a series of reforms. In 2009, Bangladesh embraced a new vision for implementing full-fledged ICT-driven governance—Digital Bangladesh (DB). With that, two separate policy documents emerged as policy guidelines, having almost the same goal. In this context, this paper focuses on the comparative analysis of concepts and policy frameworks of both the documents including their vision and underlying ideology and establishes their relationships. Then the paper focuses on the status of compliance of the ICT policy, i.e. action plans along with the involved challenges in realizing the theme of the Digital Bangladesh. Based on the analysis, it also sheds light on probable way forward. The paper concludes that, despite the written institutional arrangements for ensuring compliance with the action plans, a change in the prevailing structure is required to achieve the goal of the ICT Policy—establishing Digital Bangladesh.

Governance in Bangladesh: Configuration, Culture and Constraints

Concept Publishing Company New Delhi India, Jan 2010

The history of local government in Bangladesh is replete with instances of central governments je... more The history of local government in Bangladesh is replete with instances of central governments jealously retaining their control over local bodies. There were periodic announcements in favour of decentralization, but they turned out to be mere rhetoric, intended to appease the native population. The actual steps taken by the governments resulted in stronger centralization. Consequently, changes in levels of local bodies with the change of government have created confusion in the minds of people. Similar to the changes in levels, on the issue of representation also continuity has not been maintained. Emphasis on elected members has alternated with the system of nomination at various times. Therefore, this paper studies the reform initiatives in local government bodies introduced at different political periods in Bangladesh and tries to explain the modifications in the context of the political reality of that time taking the political motive in account.

Governance in Bangladesh : Configuration, Culture and Constraints

The present anthology contains insights of scholars who have had a ringside view of the Banglades... more The present anthology contains insights of scholars who have had a ringside view of the Bangladesh governance system. The contributions are based on a perspicacious analysis of the elections machinery, parliamentary system, the judiciary, bureaucracy, administrative ethics, transparency, accountability, local governance, people’s participation, gender justice and other critical dimensions of governance. Besides, the role of political parties, pressure groups and non-governmental organizations in the dynamics of governance system has been analyzed profoundly. The approach adopted by the authors is empirical as well as instrumental. The volume will be found useful to policy makers as well as scholars in comparative governance.

Development Studies Volume 1