To head off a further deterioration in the administrative crisis that looked impending enough with threats of more Prochrichi strikes, the government has made a dramatic overture towards the agitating cadres. It has announced through a press note the decision to elevate 50 per cent posts on the national pay scale-9 to the selection grade scale -7 entailing a raise of Tk 1250 at the startin’g point per head in the basic salary itself. It has also been decided that posts of nine cadres, including five engineering cadres, will be upgraded from scale 6 to 5 at the district and equivalent levels.

Although the full numerical implication of the move is not instantly clear, it is likely to be quite considerable much as the financial obligation being taken on by the government appears to be equally as formidable. What is the basis of the government's move to upgrade the posts, even if it is assumed that this is what the Prochrichi wanted? The next question is: where from will the money come? These questions naturally arise in the public mind if only because people have become wary of pay raises that smacked of a policy of appeasements Those who might be left off if the present prescription is followed would have a cause for grumbling.

The Prochrichi—BCS (admn) conflict, deepseated as it is, cannot be addressed tactically, it has to be sorted out professionally. The facts have to be faced. Prochrichi's principal demand related to rationalising the working equations between the specialists and the generalists. The BCS (admn) cadre officials, trained in magistracy and revenue matters, wield authority over the members of specialised cadres. The DCs and SDOs have worked as chiefs among equals at the local levels and, in the national secretariat, barring a few specialists who became secretaries, the officials of BCS (Admn) cadre including the erstwhile CSP officials enjoyed primacy at the various coordination meetings.' Their 'supremacy' can be put out of the way if we succeed in associating elected public representatives directly with the administration. A district council bill is before the parliament and hopefully by virtue of its passage we will have elected chairmen and members to the district councils. An elected chairman can breathe fresh air into the district administration, both routine and development. The specialists’ say at the secretariat can be ensured, too.

We have plenty of recommendations in hand to, embark upon service reorganisation on democratic lines without any further loss of time.

The government has erred, we should like to think, on the side of anxiety in taking the partial move it has to end the Prochrichi agitation. Prochrichi's series of protestations has drawn a good deal of public attention with a national debate taking place on the demands raised by them. The government now needs a breather for the cabinet committee it has formed to address their demands more closely. All concerned must work towards the creation of the right environment for some really professional discussions to ensue on the subject, ft is no use moving from one adhoc palliative to another.