Bangladesh Civil Service offers one of the most prestigious and dynamic work-place in Bangladesh. However, the examination process to secure a job in civil services is complicated. The British Council Cultural Centre in Bangladesh regularly arranges interactive sessions all around the year to help create positive impacts among the mass people. This time, under the ‘Expert Talk’ series, the British Council arranged a session that looked at the insights into Bangladesh Civil Services (BCS). It featured two Commonwealth scholars now serving in the civil services sector, who shared their experiences with 24 promising candidates for the upcoming BCS examinations.
The session began with a multimedia presentation by R M Faizur Rahman, Additional Deputy Police Commissioner (Admin), Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Commonwealth Scholar 2009. During his session, Mr Faizur discussed the ins and outs of the examination system of Bangladesh Civil Service. He explained the process thoroughly and gave in-depth insights into the challenging examination system. He also shared his own experiences of handling the pressure before the examination and the hurdle through stages of preliminary, written and interview stages of the exam. He said, “The biggest trade of civil service is anyone from any background can join in it, and the opportunity is completely open to all. But one has to make it sure that s/he doesn’t fall behind in his or her own field of study.” Later, he answered questions from the attending candidates of BCS exams.
The second part of the session was delivered by Ms Nusrat Jahan Urmi, Judge at Bangladesh Judicial Service, Commonwealth Scholar 2016- 2017. In her speech, she shared her journey in judicial service, emphasising the etiquette, approach and mindset of a civil service officer. She explained the necessity of in-depth knowledge of world affairs and the professionalism one must maintain. ‘The civil service sector requires the engagement of every single skill of a human being,’ she said. “Fighting against all the odds, living away from family and friends and serving the nation’s people is a big responsibility. A civil servant has to ensure s/he is living up to that responsibility.”
The talk ended with a group photo session that included the participants and the speakers.
The civil service network in Bangladesh is directly responsible for government relations, policymaking mechanisms and implementation. The ones are joining this sector play a vital role in shaping the future of the country. The British Council, using its network and resources, aims to help the young generations to become effectively involved in this sector and further strengthen the bond between Bangladesh and the UK.