Gender and Representation of Women in Bangladesh Civil Service: An Empirical Analysis of ‘Glass Ceiling’ Effect

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether discriminatory practices exist against women in Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) and to come up with policy options to handle them. This study was carried out against the back drop of increasing number of women who have entered the BCS over the last three dej90opcades, especially after 1982, when women were allowed entry to all BCS cadres. The study specifically wanted to find out whether a ‘glass ceiling” exists in the context of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) and to investigate the factors that affect women’s movement up the organisational ladder within the BCS. This study considers officials belonging to Grade 9 and above in Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) as sample population. Data were colleccted from both primary and sencondary sources. For primary data a questionnaaire survey was employed. Moreover, four case studies were constructed by interviewing selected officials. The questionnaire was pre-tested among 20-30 cadre officials of BCS and after that it was administered on the sample respondents. The questionnaire was administered at the field offices of Upazilla, Districts as well as ministries. It tried to target all BCS Cadres, with the exception of Judicial Service. While the Study aimed at sample size of 385 to which a questionnaire was sent, but in the end got feedback from only 276 respondents. This data was then analysed using SPSS.