Civil service of Turkey: Lessons for Bangladesh

M. M. Ashaduzzaman Nour :

The civil service is the backbone of public administration and plays a critical role in governance and development.

By analyzing key features of Turkey’s civil service, including its structure, recruitment, training, and accountability mechanisms, this study identifies strengths and challenges.

It concludes with recommendations for adapting relevant aspects to strengthen the civil service in Bangladesh. Efficient public administration is a cornerstone of effective governance. Civil services manage public resources, implement policies, and maintain institutional stability.

Both Turkey and Bangladesh share historical legacies influenced by colonial rule, yet their civil service systems have evolved in markedly different ways. Understanding Turkey’s experiences can offer valuable insights for reforming Bangladesh’s civil service.

The civil service is a critical component of state governance, ensuring the continuity and execution of public policies. In Turkey, the civil service system is rooted in historical traditions, influenced by both Ottoman bureaucratic practices and modern state-building efforts.

This paper explores the complexities of Turkey’s civil service, its legal and institutional structures, and the reforms it has undergone to meet the demands of a dynamic socio-political environment.

The foundations of Turkey’s civil service can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire, where a centralized bureaucracy managed state affairs.

The Tanzimat reforms of the 19th century introduced significant changes, including merit-based recruitment and the establishment of specialized administrative roles.

After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the civil service was restructured to align with the principles of secularism, modernization, and national unity.

The legal basis of the Turkish civil service is primarily governed by the Constitution of Turkey and the Civil Servants Law No. 657. This framework outlines the principles of neutrality, meritocracy, and professionalism that guide the recruitment, training, and conduct of civil servants. The State Personnel Administration oversees human resource policies, while individual ministries and agencies manage sector-specific civil service functions.

Recruitment into the Turkish civil service is highly competitive, primarily based on the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS). Specialized roles often require additional assessments and interviews. Training programs are designed to enhance technical skills, policy knowledge, and ethical standards, with a growing emphasis on digital literacy and innovative practices.

Turkey’s civil service system is centralized, professionalized, and merit-based. It operates under the principles laid out in the Turkish Constitution and the Civil Servants Law (No. 657). Key features include:

1. Merit-Based Recruitment: Recruitment is primarily through competitive examinations conducted by the State Personnel Presidency (Devlet Personel Baskanligi). This system ensures transparency and fairness.

2. Training and Development: Newly recruited civil servants undergo comprehensive training programs at institutes like the Public Administration Institute for Turkey and the Middle East (TODAIE). In-service training opportunities further enhance capacity.

3. Hierarchical Structure: The Turkish civil service is highly hierarchical, with clear roles and responsibilities. This ensures accountability and efficiency in decision-making.

4. Accountability Mechanisms: The system includes performance evaluations and disciplinary measures. Public officials are accountable to both administrative superiors and judicial review mechanisms.

5. Technology Integration: Turkey has adopted e-governance initiatives, such as the E-Devlet portal, to streamline service delivery and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Turkey’s civil service offers a roadmap for reforming Bangladesh’s public administration. By prioritizing meritocracy, capacity building, digitalization, and anti-corruption measures, Bangladesh can address systemic inefficiencies and build a more effective civil service.

1. Merit-Based Recruitment: Bangladesh could adopt a transparent and standardized examination process similar to Turkey’s KPSS to minimize political interference and favoritism in recruitment.

2. Capacity Building: Establishing specialized training institutes for civil servants can help enhance their competence and adherence to ethical standards.

3. Digital Transformation: Learning from Turkey’s e-governance initiatives, Bangladesh can prioritize the digitalization of public services to improve efficiency and accessibility.

4. Performance Management: Introducing structured performance appraisal systems can foster accountability and incentivize high performance in the Bangladeshi civil service.

5. Anti-Corruption Mechanisms: Strengthening institutional frameworks to combat corruption, inspired by Turkey’s approach, is crucial for restoring public trust.

6. Institutionalizing Meritocracy: Bangladesh should adopt transparent recruitment processes, drawing from Turkey’s standardized examination system.

7. Expanding Training Programs: Establishing dedicated training institutes and emphasizing continuous professional development can enhance capacity.

8. Promoting E-Governance: Learning from Turkey’s E-Devlet system, Bangladesh can invest in technology to improve service delivery and reduce corruption.

9. Strengthening Accountability: Introducing performance evaluations and disciplinary mechanisms, modeled on Turkey’s practices, can improve transparency and efficiency.

10. Encouraging Diversity: Policies promoting gender and ethnic diversity in civil service recruitment can foster inclusivity.

Despite the potential benefits, implementing Turkish civil service reforms in Bangladesh faces several obstacles:
1. Political Will: Reforms require strong commitment from the political leadership, which is often influenced by vested interests.

2. Institutional Weaknesses: The lack of robust institutional frameworks can hinder the adoption of new policies and systems.

3. Resource Constraints: Financial and technological limitations may impede large-scale reforms in Bangladesh.

4. Cultural Differences: Differences in administrative culture and public expectations may require adaptation of Turkish models to local contexts.

While Turkey and Bangladesh differ in historical and socio-political contexts, Turkey’s experiences provide valuable insights for reforming Bangladesh’s civil service.

Adapting these lessons with local contextualization can enhance efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness in public administration, contributing to sustainable governance and development.

However, successful implementation will require strong political will, public support, and sustained investment in institutional capacity. Future research could explore deeper comparative analyses and pilot programs to test the adaptability of Turkish models in Bangladesh’s administrative landscape.

(The writer is Ph D Researcher, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Istanbul Medeniyet Üniversitesi, Istanbul, Türkiye & Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, Bangladesh University of Professionals).