Act tough to root out graft

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the government officials to take a tough stance against corruption to root out the menace from the society.

“We'll have to eliminate corruption at any cost. We'll have to create public awareness and take a strong stance against the threat,” she said, opening a three-day conference of deputy commissioners at her office.

People will not get the benefits of any development project if there was corruption in it, the PM said.

Terming the DCs the representatives of the government at the district level, she asked them to carry out their responsibilities with the mindset of serving people and protecting their interests by taking a stand for truth and justice.

Hasina laid out a 23-point directive for the DCs to ensure people's welfare and directed them to be more active in implementing development programmes.

“You'll have to work together with public representatives in establishing good governance at grassroots, strengthen the rural economy further and develop infrastructures in villages, implement the SDGs and tackle natural disasters.”

The DCs must ensure that service receivers are not harassed in any way and go tough against food adulteration, she told the annual conference. 

The PM directed them to know the problems and prospects of their areas in detail and inform the central administration timely as the development plans were prepared on the basis of their reports.

Praising the initiatives of a number of district administrations and police officials for making their districts free from begging, Hasina assured them of providing assistance from her relief fund to make their drive even more successful.

She also urged them to come up with more innovative ideas for              the benefits and welfare of the people.

About the steps of her government to set up 100 economic zones across the country, the PM directed the top divisional and district officials not to allocate any land in an unplanned way for building factories.

Factories need to be set up only in economic zones where all kinds of services would be ensured, she told the meeting.

Special initiatives should be taken for people with disability and autism as well as for those lagging behind in society, the PM said. “You must also make village courts active to ensure justice for the people and reduce the backlog of cases.”

Directing the DCs to lead the development and expansion of ICT, Hasina said they would have to take measures to raise the rate of female education and bring back the droop-out students to the mainstream education.

The PM said the DCs were playing a very important role in taking the benefits of the government's development projects to people's doorstep and contributing towards ensuring the overall progress through their tireless and sincere efforts.

Stressing the need for encouraging and promoting their junior colleagues, she said there should not be any difference of opinion when it comes to public service as it might hamper professional work.

She asked the DCs to help save the country from militancy and drug addiction. “You must create public awareness. If you can involve people in your efforts, it'll be easier for you to stamp out militancy and drug abuse.”

Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadeque, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam and Principal Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

Divisional commissioner of Mymensingh and deputy commissioners of Chandpur, Jessore and Faridpur districts also addressed the programme.

Cabinet members, PM's advisers and secretaries of different ministries and divisions were present.