An Interesting Personal Experience from the 47th BCS Interview in Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Civil Service Commission (BCS) interviews represent the final and most critical step of the most prestigious and competitive civil service exams in the country. This news article details the first-hand experience, the questions faced, and the overall atmosphere of the interview encountered by a candidate taking the 47th BCS interview. The candidate's interview took place on June 10, 2023, via board number 6. The candidate's career preferences, in order, were police, administration, tax, customs, health, and family planning, and the interview lasted approximately fifteen minutes. Such personal narratives serve as an invaluable source of information for thousands of candidates aspiring to succeed in these highly competitive civil service exams.

Despite being a medical doctor, the candidate who entered the interview chose the police force as their first preference. At the beginning of the interview, the board chairman, curious about this preference, asked why the candidate wanted to leave medicine and become a police officer. The candidate stated that, considering the socioeconomic situation of Bangladesh, having legitimate authority and enforcement power is important to serve the people more effectively. As an example, the candidate explained that while a doctor prescribes medication to patients, they cannot force them to follow these instructions, whereas a police officer has the direct authority to enforce compliance when it comes to maintaining public order and safety. This logical and well-prepared approach successfully reflected the candidate's vision for public service to the board members.

The external members of the board asked questions from a wide variety of fields to assess both the candidate's general knowledge and professional background. Subjects such as geography, current economics, the constitution, and the sociology of crime were among the main agenda items of the interview. The candidate was asked to provide information on the strategic locations of the Hormuz and Gibraltar straits, the country's budget calendar, and the budget-related articles in the constitution. Furthermore, the candidate was expected to provide in-depth assessments on the negative impacts of crime rates on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the socioeconomic roots of increasing crime cases in the country. These questions aimed to understand how well future civil servants analyze the demographic and economic dynamics the country is experiencing.

In the later stages of the interview, practical and legislative questions regarding the candidate's second choice, the administration cadre, came to the forefront. Board members tested the candidate by referring to the job descriptions of the police and administration cadres. The candidate was asked to explain the differences between the preliminary report prepared by the police in suspicious deaths and the autopsy report, through which doctors determine the actual cause of death. Additionally, within the scope of legal authority, information was provided about the historical 'Sunset Law' (Sunset Law), dating back to Cornwallis's Permanent Settlement in 1793, and the consequences of uncollected land taxes. The candidate was also expected to flawlessly list the authorities and responsibilities in existing legal provisions, such as Article 144, which is used to disperse unlawful gatherings.

Towards the end of the conversation, the duties and responsibilities of critical local government officials such as AC Land (Yardımcı Komisyonu - Toprak) and UNO (Upazila Nirbahi Officer) were discussed. The candidate was asked to summarize the essence of administrative tasks such as land management, land registration, protection of state lands, and collection of rent revenues in a single sentence. Throughout the interview process, the candidate's honesty in apologizing to the board for topics they did not know, alongside providing correct answers, helped demonstrate the transparency and humility traits sought in a true civil servant. As a result, thanks to this strong performance and analytical thinking ability, the candidate was recommended for their first-choice police cadre and deemed worthy of public service.