Four-day DC conference begins today

The four-day annual conference of deputy commissioners of all 64 districts commences today in Dhaka where the menace of militancy in the country might top the agenda.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the programme at the Prime Minister's Office. At the conference she is expected to give directives to the deputy commissioners (DCs) for implementing various decisions, policies and measures taken by the government.

Ministers will also address the DCs in separate sessions, some of which will focus on militancy and means of running motivational campaigns against it.        

The conference of the administrative chiefs of the districts is taking place amid the growing fear of renewed strikes following two grisly militant attacks just six days apart early this month.

Talking to reporters at his office on Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said the issue of terrorism could dominate the conference against the backdrop of two back-to-back terror attacks in Dhaka and Kishoreganj.

On July 1, Bangladesh witnessed an unprecedented hostage carnage as militants, during a 12-hour siege at a café in the upscale area of Gulshan in Dhaka, killed 20 hostages -- 17 of them foreigners and two police officers.

Within a week's time, in the morning of Eid day on July 7, two policemen, a woman and a suspected assailant, died while a dozen others including six police personnel were injured as armed militants battled with law enforcers and tried to cross a police check post near the Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj where the country's largest Eid congregation was being held.

Divisional commissioners and the DCs are expected to make 336 suggestions along with their recommendations on 39 ministries at the conference, according to conference documents.

Other issues on the agenda of the conference include strengthening local government institutions; gearing up disaster management, relief and rehabilitation activities; use of ICT and e-governance; and improvement of the quality of education, healthcare and family welfare.