Bureaucrats should know they’re not politicians: Former advisor to PM Dr Modasser Ali

Bureaucrats should not exceed their limit of authority, and should not act like politicians, Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali, former advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said today.

There is no reason to speak more instead of implementing government programmes, he said this while addressing the "Covid-19 Health Bulletin" unveiling event in Dhaka this afternoon.

"Bureaucrats are not politicians," Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali said.

His remarks came at a time when there's criticism over bureaucratic tangles regarding government's policies and their implementation.

At the same event earlier, secretary of health services division, in his speech, criticised leaders of the physician community for their "criticism" of health ministry's activities.

"They are criticising us in talk shows… They are meeting us during the day, having tea-coffee, talking to us. But the same person is criticising us on talk show at night," health secretary Abdul Mannan alleged.

"But you too have responsibility to people of the country. If your suggestions were not taken, then there is room for something to say. We are requesting for suggestions, which you are not giving," the secretary added.

He said the government has been recognising the sacrifices of the doctors and other healthcare workers with the highest respect.

Mentioning that Bloomberg ranked Bangladesh as the 20th "Most Covid-19 resilient country", the secretary said that Bloomberg does not pay heed to any leader's speech.

Earlier, the secretary general of Swachip Prof Dr MA Aziz expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of publication activities of the health ministry.

About the sacrifices of healthcare workers, Abdul Mannan said, "As soon as I got news of doctors' deaths, I have sent condolences in writing… We have compensated many families, though death can't be compensated.

In response to the health secretary's speech, Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali criticised bureaucrats.

"Only one of the recipients of the prime minister's compensation was a doctor and 30 were bureaucrats," he mentioned.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, secretary of medical education of the ministry, Director General of the health directorate Prof ABM Khurshid Alam, Director General of the military health directorate Maj Gen Mahbubur Rahman, President of Bangladesh Medical Association Prof Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin were present in the event.