Hasina warns against graft at field-level administration

Reaffirming her government's tough stance against corruption, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the public administration ministry to issue a strong warning against graft by field-level administrations.

“Your specific directives must reach the administrations at the grassroots level that tough action will be taken if anyone resorts to corruption,” she said while visiting the ministry in the morning.

The PM wondered why there would be corruption even after significantly enhancing the salaries, allowances and other privileges of public servants. “They [public servants] must change their mindset.”

She emphasised ensuring good governance and building a corruption-free administration for achieving the government's goal to take the benefits of development to people's doorsteps.

Hasina said the salient feature of the country's development is the current low inflation rate amid rapid economic growth. “Many countries can't control the inflation during their speedy economic growth.”

Noting that Bangladesh has been able to keep the inflation rate within 5.4 percent to 5.5 percent, she said people can directly enjoy the benefits of the high growth and low inflation.

The PM said Bangladesh achieved 7.86 percent GDP growth in the 2017-18 fiscal year, up from the target of 7.40 percent. The government now aims at raising the growth rate to a double-digit one within the next five years, she added.

About corruption, Hasina said the government announced zero tolerance of graft as it did so of terrorism, militancy and drug.

Mentioning that the government was able to control militancy and now conducting drives against drug, she said the drive against corruption would also continue.

About the 11th parliamentary election, the premier said “people completely rejected the BNP since the BNP-Jamaat unleashed arson attacks in the name of resisting the 2014 election” and this has been reflected in the December 30 polls results too.

She said her government was trying to continue its efforts to develop the country.

Terming the public administration the heart of the government, Hasina urged the ministry officials to work sincerely and competently.

The PM said she renamed the establishment ministry the public administration ministry to remind the officials about their responsibilities to serve people.

Reiterating that the country has now turned into Digital Bangladesh, she stressed the use of modern technology and digital system to ensure accountability and transparency in the administration.

About training of civil servants, the PM said there was no alternative to training to develop an efficient administration.

Referring to the Public Services Act, Hasina said it was passed in parliament to make civil servants more confident. She vowed to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's independence in 2021 as a poverty- and hunger-free country and establish a developed and prosperous country by 2041.

Mentioning that the size of the national budget was increased to more than Tk 4 lakh crore from only Tk 61,000 crore in 2005-06 fiscal year, she put emphasis on the proper use of this huge amount of money for the country's further advancement.

The public administration ministry is the first among the ministries visited by the PM after she formed the government for third consecutive term.

Hasina said she also visited ministries during her previous tenure to gear up their activities for taking government services to people's doorsteps.

State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain and Public Administration Secretary Faiz Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.

PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan were present, among others.