Innovative civil service can take country forward: HPM Sheikh Hasina

"I strongly believe, a civil service member no more limits himself in a structured system. Along with the countrymen they are working for the country's development leaving behind their previous bureaucratic attitude," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating a two-day international summit titled "Civil Service in Development Innovation-2016" at city's Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novotheatre here on Thursday.

The Prime Minister said country's civil servants are using information technology, science, knowledge, talent and experience at the maximum level. They are adapting themselves with new strategy and innovation. They are serving their best to the people and the country is going ahead.

However, the prime minister warned about the emergence of new threat of terrorism and militancy saying the evil force is also taking benefit of the information technology.

So we have to remain careful about them. There is no place for terrorists and militants in Bangladesh, she said.

The Prime Minister said the summit on "Civil Service in Development Innovation-2016" is a very time-befitting arrangement to materialize government's Digital Bangladesh. All civil service members will be inspired by the programme. More new strategies and innovations will be invented and materialized for the country's development, she said.

Minister for Public Administration Syed Ashraful Islam, Minister for Science and Technology Architect Yafes Osman, UNDP Country Director Ms. Pauline Tamesis and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad were present as special guests.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam presided over the function while Director General (Admin), Prime Minister's Office and Project Director, a2i Programme Kabir Bin Anwar gave welcome address.

The ministries and departments and field administration have undertaken various innovative initiatives to realize the "Digital Bangladesh" vision declared by the present Government.

For the first Cabinet Division, the Ministry of Public Administration, and the a2i Programme have jointly organized the summit to showcasing these innovative initiatives to a wider audience.

Other objectives of the summit are to connect the local innovations with those at national and international level, to share best practices and capture learning from previous innovations.

The summit would also create partnership opportunities and develop follow-up action plans and to reinforce south-south cooperation through showcasing remarkable scale-up initiatives and sharing the success stories.

Ministers of Maldives and Bhutan and delegations from Development Partners in Bangladesh are taking part in the summit.

Hoping that the summit would inspire young generation for development of more new strategies and innovations, the Prime Minister said, such event would help exchange innovative ideas at both regional and international levels helping Bangladesh to move forward.

Sheikh Hasina said the present government of Bangladesh Awami League is a people-oriented government which is working with principal objective of establishing a society based on equity. Digital Bangladesh is the key to achieve the goal, she said.

The Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had established a strong base of development during his three and half years' tenure rebuilding war-ravaged country.

While giving priority to innovativeness, the Prime Minister said, Bangabandhu had established BCSIR, country's first satellite station in Betbunia. Measures of the Father of the Nation are the base of today's Digital Bangladesh, she said.

The Prime Minister gave all credit to her son ?Sazib Wazed Joy for her first understanding in IT saying "Joy was the real dreamer of Digital Bangladesh, what all we have learned from him."

Sheikh Hasina said there is no alternative to transparency and accountability in every sphere of public administration. "I firmly believe, together we all will build a modern, service-oriented, proactive civil service to meet the challenges of 21st century," she said.

Laying importance on strong connectivity between the people and information technology, she said people should be engaged in innovation utilizing ICT for country's development.

Public participation has to be ensured in all spheres of government's development activities and this is the way to reach our destination, the Prime Minister said.

A documentary titled "Rupantarer Golpo" was presented in the function highlighting the long journey to build a 'Digital Bangladesh'. Later, a documentary on the life and works of Bangabandhu was also exhibited.

The Prime Minister also awarded divisional commissioner of Dhaka and deputy commissioners of Chittagong, Brahmmanbaria and Jessore for their best innovativeness in civil service.

Later, the Prime Minister visited different stalls set up by different ministries and organizations on their innovations.