Corruption, crime, price hike of essentials, government's indecision, excessive dependency on bureaucracy and administrative sluggishness have largely marred the achievements of the two-year-old government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
It appears that corruption has pervaded all sectors as Bangladesh was pegged as the most corrupt country in the world for the third straight year by a sleaze watchdog.
The government took more than 200 steps to improve law and order, but murder, kidnap, rape, extortion and a spate of other crimes continued to be the prime concern of people.
The setting up of special tribunals, quick disposal of sensitive cases and passage of tougher laws against acid attacks and repression on women and children have brought some relief to people.
Conflicts in policy decision, rivalry among senior ministers, discord between ministers and state
ministers, conflict between ministers and bureaucrats, innergrouping and war of attrition among ministers are affecting government activities and presenting a drag on development.
Apparent dual rule, dominance of a youngsters, lack of tested leadership, inadequate number of skilled and experienced politicians are slowing down the activities of the government that took office with over two-thirds majority.
Compared to the previous BNP administration that ruled from 1991 to early 1996, the present government seems to suffer from serious lack of dynamism as the mainstream leadership has been cornered by inexperienced youngsters.
Nowadays, most cabinet ministers and senior BNP policymakers, marginalised in the past two years, apparently hesitate to own the government and take responsibility for government actions. They feel everything depends on two power centres -- one at Nakhalpara (the Prime Minister's Office) and the other at Banani (Hawa Bhaban).
The BNP leaders feel the absence of experienced and committed leaders like the late Mirza Golam Hafiz, Abdus Salam Talukder, ASM Mustafizur Rahman and Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Majid-ul-Haq and Oli Ahmed in the cabinet.
In the current cabinet, Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Tariqul Islam and Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain are showing experience in running the administration as well as carrying out political activities.
But the majority of others have failed to show their capacity in the past two years.
Due to lack of experienced politicians in the cabinet, the government depends much on the bureaucracy, the majority of whom are on contractual service.
Many consider the present civil administration less competent than under the past BNP government.
Weakness in both political leadership and bureaucracy has brought in serious sluggishness in state affairs and slowed down the pace of decision-making. The bureaucracy seems to be taking full advantage of the weakness of the political leadership.
There was a mini-cabinet under the previous BNP administration and Khaleda took important decisions in consultation with senior colleagues, but there is no such entity currently.
The premier now takes important decisions in consultation with a 'mini-secretariat' comprised of five top bureaucrats.
Some allege that top secretaries and some influential officials at the PMO as well as Hawa Bhaban-based youngsters influence government decisions in their favour to advance individual, group business interest.
Inexperience and incompetence of both politicians and bureaucrats came to light when 19 out of 20 project proposals placed in a recent Ecnec meeting were rejected because of gross faults and violation of rules and regulations.
Most proposals and projects were sent back from the cabinet and Ecnec meetings for further scrutiny in the past two years, as they were faulty, full of gross mistakes and not placed properly although they made their way to the meetings crossing several steps.
A Tk 25 crore project for the facelift of Dhaka city was placed at an Ecnec meeting last month without pre-Ecnec approval and work on the project started ahead of approval.
The Security Exchange Commission has been running without its chairman for several months because of the indecision of the PMO. The finance ministry recommendation for the appointment long back.
Similarly, several Bangladesh missions abroad, including in the Maldives, Bhutan and Nigeria, have been functioning without heads for the last two years due to indecision of the government. Many other posts still remain vacant.
Appointments to a number of
foreign posts have been made recently, after long and inexplicable delays.
The declared policy of the government for promotion in the civil administration was grossly violated and recommendations of the Superior Selection Board (SSB) were ignored on many occasions allegedly under the influence of a section of junior and mid-level officials at the PMO.
The cabinet committee on law and order, some key ministers and officials concerned held a dozen of meetings and took a raft of decisions to check the crime spate, but they are yet to be implemented.
The government received a huge amount of aid and loan for the health sector, but a long-running conflict between the minister and the former secretary delayed implementation of the funded projects.
In most cases, bureaucrats in the name of feasibility study unnecessarily delayed the implementation.
The health ministry has reportedly turned into an extension of proBNP Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB). The finance minister at a recent meeting expressed serious dissatisfaction as benefits of investment in the sector were not reaching the poor.
There was no major purchase in the public sector in the past two years because of faulty proposals and clear violation of rules. Most purchase proposals were rejected at the meetings of the cabinet committee on economic affairs.
Most ministries are not even capable of preparing their tender documents for development projects and purchases in which international bidders may take interest.
Foreign bidders, especially the internationally renowned companies, do not participate in official tenders for supply of equipment as most specimens and quotations of the documents remain faulty.
Besides, repeated cancellation of tenders discourages foreign and reputed local firms.
The government miserably failed to purchase urgently needed equipment for Bangladesh Television, Chittagong Port and some other organisations because of faulty tender documents, lack of response by reputed foreign companies and cancellation of bidding.
The government also feels the shortage of skilled negotiators who can handle national and international issues properly.
There is virtually no tangible achievement of the government in bilateral, regional and international negotiations.
The government's current "Look East" diplomatic approach and economic diplomacy have fallen flat although countries like China, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar came up with huge trade concessions.
Due to lack of proper and timely follow-up, East Asian countries take a little interest to grow economic ties with Bangladesh.
Diplomatic ties with major countries, including next door neighbour India, are passing through trying times.