Signing files is not your only duty: HPM Sheikh Hasina to Admin cadres

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the officials of the administrative cadre to look into the problems of the local people in their assigned areas and work with devotion to resolve those alongside doing their usual official duties.

"The officials who work in the field level administration should have utmost sincerity to resolve the problems of the local people. Stand beside them and earn their confidence," she said while addressing the concluding ceremony of 102nd and 103rd Law and Administrative Course at BCS Administrative Academy at Shahbagh on Thursday.

"Officials must keep in mind that signing files is not their only duty. Rather they have to work with devotion and innovativeness to resolve the problems of people for their welfare," she said.

Administrative officials must have self-confidence and self-dignity, she added. 

Minister for Public Administration Syed Ashraful Islam, State Minister Ismat Ara Sadeq and rector of the academy Anwarul Islam Sikder spoke among others on the occasion while Public Administration Secretary Dr Mozammel Haque Khan gave the welcome address.

The premier said members of the administrative cadre have huge responsibility to materialise the people's expectation. The government has focused on strengthening rural economy as it is possible through relentless services of the officials, she said.

"We've learned from the life of the Father of the Nation that we will be able to do better for the people as much as as we become closer with them," she added.

Urging the new cadres to understand the problems of the common people through their heart, the Prime Minister hoped that officials would discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and devotion keeping the spirit of the Liberation War.

Quoting Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina said there is no better happiness in the universe other than serving people.

She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fought against the discrimination with Bangalees in civil and military administration during Pakistani rule. He (Bangabandhu) suffered his whole life to liberate the country to get rid of the disparity, she added. 

"Most of us would not be able to come to the present position if the country had not been liberated," she said. 


The prime minister said her government is constantly trying to make the civil administration more competent. Many opportunities are being created for their higher education, which will grow them in the future. A number of projects are going on for infrastructure development and capacity building of the BCS Administration Academy, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government had laid foundation of the 9-storied building of the academy which was inaugurated in 2001. During the current tenure of her government, it has completed 15th floor of the building, she said.

The prime minister said her government has made the salary of the government employees almost double in the latest National Pay Scale awarded in 2015. 

She said a number of awards were introduced to give recognition to enthusiastic initiatives of the civil administration and an innovation fund was created to encourage the officials in their creative activities.

As promotion is the prime incentive for a civil servant, the Prime Minister said, her government has promoted 144 officials to the post of secretary, 843 officials to additional secretary, 1673 officials to joint secretary and 1981 to deputy secretary. Civil administration never witnessed such huge number of promotions during the time of any government in the past, she added. 

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had given the country a solid foundation in every area retrieving it from destruction within three and half years of his tenure. But, she said, the country's progress was halted after his brutal killing in 1975. 

The Prime Minister said the Awami League government after taking office in 1996 took up the development work of the country in the pathway of Bangabandhu. After formation of the government in 2009, the Awami League government floated its vision to build Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is making relentless efforts to achieve the goals. Bangladesh is now a role model of development for its exemplary successes in the poverty alleviation, universal education, women empowerment, child and maternity services, economic growth and overall economic stability.

Pointing out few successes of her government, the Prime Minister said overall poverty has come down to 22 percent from 41 percent in 2005 while five crore poor people could elevated their position to middle class. In 2005, per capita income was $543 which is now $1,610. Country's foreign exchange reserve was only $3 billion in 2005, which is over $ 32 billion now. 

Due to economic strength, the government was able to construct the giant project like Padma Bridge with its own funds, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has undertaken the initiative to build a 'Digital Banagladesh" aimed at reaching the public services at the doorsteps of the people. 

"Digital Bangladesh is no more a dream now, it's a reality," she said adding that under the National E-service System, e-filing programme has been introduced in 57 ministries, 178 directorate and 1948 government offices departments. As many as 26,000 schools have successfully introduced multimedia classroom.

Later, the prime minister unveiled a vision wall titled "Amar Bangla" on the premises of the academy.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol