Fakhruddin held a two hour-long meeting with the secretaries in Bangladesh Secretariat where he later spent hours in his own office yesterday.

Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Mazumdar said, "Politicisation of the administration is not a new phenomenon. We want to be liberated from this poisonous atmosphere."

"Some people voluntarily get involved with politicisation, while others become victims of circumstances created by the politicisation," he said.

Fakhruddin stressed, "Government officials have to remember that no political party is their master. They are the servants of the people's republic."

Pointing out that tax paid by the citizens pay for government officials' wages and also runs the government, Fakhruddin said, "All officials have to ensure that the government services are delivered to the people's doorsteps."

The newly appointed CA said he believed in those values while he was a public servant and hoped that the government officials will also be inspired by the values.

"Government officials will have to rise above all fears and act neutrally to ensure transparency and accountability in the government," Fakhruddin said.

Reiterating his resolve for cleaning up the administration, Fakhruddin said, "The people's lack of trust in government officials has to be remedied."

"Whatever changes are required to ensure impartiality in the administration, will be brought into existence," he added.

Addressing the high officials of the state the CA said, "Don't do anything that might give rise to questions in the people's minds."

Fakhruddin observed, "The responsibility of running the country lies with a government elected by the people," but he requested the officials to assist the council of advisers in fulfilling the prerequisites for holding an election, namely the people's trust in the administration.

"While it is our (the caretaker government's) main priority to hold a credible election, it is also our duty to sustain and strengthen the country's economy," the CA said.

He said the caretaker government will do all it can to revitalise all sectors of the economy.

Emphasising the need for strengthening the power sector, the CA said all steps should be taken immediately to ensure power supply to factories, offices and households.

"Mismanagement in the power sector has caused much suffering to the people and it has to stop," he said.

The CA also urged the secretaries to put an end to the price hike of essentials by taking immediate and meaningful steps.

Stating that the law and order situation has improved over the past week, Fakhruddin said the caretaker government is resolute in making it sustainable to ensure public security.

"Criminal activities will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Effective measures have to be taken to recover illegal arms and arrest criminals."

The CA praised small farmers for sustaining the country, and said they have been let down by the lack of assistance from the government, especially regarding supply of fertilisers.

Noting that the widespread scarcity of fertilisers in the country has been caused by mismanagement, Fakhruddin said government officials must focus on increasing supply of fertilisers to the farmers.

He also said relationships with friendly countries should be strengthened and steps should be taken to brighten Bangladesh's image abroad.

The CA also urged the secretaries to be more proactive in ensuring implementation of ongoing development projects.

"Any delay or failure in implementing projects will not be tolerated," the CA said adding, "It is not expected that government officials will create unfavourable conditions or impede the government."

SECRETARIES' VIEWS
The secretaries outlined how the administration has been politicised and proposed numerous ways for resolving the problem.

They specifically referred to the need for immediately starting to promote government officials on the basis of seniority, rather than political affiliations and connections.

Junior officials, not seniors, should be made officers on special duty (OSD), they said.

Regarding separation of the judiciary from the executive branch of the government, the secretaries said they welcome the move but greater care needs to be taken to see through its implementation at the field level since they believe that the recent move puts the district magistrates in danger of losing effective power.

They also requested the CA to take measures for increasing the retirement age of the secretaries, but Fakhruddin replied that the task should be left for the next elected government.

On the issue of decentralisation of executive authority within the administration, meaning to delegate less important matters that currently require the seal of approval from the Chief Adviser's Office and in other times from the Prime Minister's Office, the secretaries urged that less crucial issues should be delegated to respective ministries.