Be careful of what you do

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) not to do anything that could embarrass the government.

"As the Awami League general secretary, I have told them that 'you don't do anything which will put the government in an embarrassing situation'," he told journalists emerging from the DC conference session on his ministry at the Secretariat.

At the inaugural session of the conference, Obaidul told the field-level administrators to follow whatever directives the prime minister issues regarding terrorism, drug peddling, and tender manipulation.

"Don't allow political interference while dealing with the problems. Rather, do whatever is legal and right in the eyes of the law," he said, asking the DCs not to bow to any pressure.

He asked them to help keep all the roads usable especially during the Eid-ul-Azha vacation. "I hope that they will play their role also to ease congestions on the roads and reduce road crashes," Quader told journalists.

The minister told the DCs to take steps to stop the plying of unauthorised and unfit vehicles. He had said the same thing at last year's conference but things have not changed and unauthorised and unfit vehicles continue to be a reason for many road crashes and congestion.

Like last year, the DCs were asked to spend less time in giving protocol to visiting ministers and VIPs and spend more time and concentration on their own work.

Many DCs on the second day of the conference proposed an end to the provision for considering the reports of intelligence agencies when it came to civil servants' promotions and transfers. The issue came up during their session with the public administration ministry.

Public Administration Secretary Faiz Ahmed told them that the individuals and institutions would discharge their responsibilities given by the government, meeting sources said.

Talking to The Daily Star later on, he said, "This practice [considering reports of agencies] has been going on for a long time as per government decision and it will continue."

Water Resources Minister Anwar Hossain Monju asked the DCs to stop illegal extracting of sand from rivers to prevent river erosion and to maintain navigability of rivers.

He also told them to remove bureaucratic obstacles in implementing various projects of the ministry.

The three-day annual DC conference is being held at Cabinet Division of the Secretariat.

'OPTIMISE USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES'

President Abdul Hamid yesterday stressed the need for ensuring optimum utilisation of the limited resources for the country's socio-economic development.  

He said this at Bangabhaban while addressing the DC conference.

Hamid also said the government was continuously expanding the rate and volume of social safety allowances to create a sustainable safety net.

“You know the successful implementation of the social safety programmes is an effective means to reduce poverty and establish social justice,” he said.

He also said people's welfare should be prioritised instead of acquiring personal assets. “Keep in mind that people provide the salaries, allowances and office expenses, for you and me. So, their interest should be given utmost importance in all the activities of the government.”

Several projects, including some mega ones, are being implemented in various sectors, including agriculture, education, health, communication infrastructure, said the president, adding these were being done using the public's money.

“You'll have to remain alert so that proper utilisation of each and every Taka of the people is ensured,” he told the DCs.

Mentioning that corruption was an impediment to socio-economic development, Hamid said a culture of transparency and accountability should be introduced at field-level administration.