Frequent reshuffle troubles govt officials

The secretary level committee on administrative development at a meeting yesterday observed that the government officials are facing serious difficulties in discharging their duties due to frequent reshuffles in the administration.
Secretaries of different ministries and divisions attended the meeting held at the cabinet division at the Secretariat in the wake of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's letter to the secretaries last week.
The meeting discussed ways to bring dynamism to the administration, which has been suffering due to frequent promotions and transfers of the officials.
To expedite the functions of the ministries, the meeting decided to hold inter-ministerial coordination meeting at regular intervals.
In the letter to the secretaries, Hasina expressed concern over the problems her government is facing in extending services to the people and in resolving their problems, as the ministries are not acting with sufficient speed.
"She observed that different ministries were making unnecessary delays in taking appropriate measures to implement the decisions [of the government] and solve the problems," Prime Minister's Secretary Molla Waheeduzzaman said in the letter.
The letter asked the secretaries to ponder whether the delay is an wilful act or is caused by inexperience of the staffs.
The prime minister also warned them of legal and punitive actions if anyone makes delays or creates obstacles to activities.
"How can an officer perform well if he or she is transferred so frequently," a secretary told The Daily Star after yesterday's meeting.
"We are really facing difficulties due to frequent transfers and postings as part of the ongoing reshuffles in the administration," he added.
Chaired by Cabinet Secretary Md Abdul Aziz, the meeting decided to endorse various plans to expedite the activities in the administration.
Abdul Aziz, however, said the administration has been keeping up its pace and that they sat to discuss how to bring more dynamism to its activities.
"Many officers were denied promotion in the past. We are now giving promotion to them, which will ultimately encourage them to work with speed," Aziz told reporters after the meeting.
The committee also discussed the law and order issue and directed the local law and order committees at the district and upazila levels to be more active and remain alert to any subversive acts.