Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed the importance of establishing good governance everywhere for the country's overall development, reports UNB.
"For the overall development, good governance is urgently needed. Law and order and everything else are related with this," she said.
She said this while inaugurating the five-day annual conference of the deputy commissioners (DCs) at Shapla Hall at the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday.
She asked the DCs to work for eradicating terrorism, drugs, corruption and other social menaces.
She said those who offer and receive bribes are equally guilty. "If we work keeping this in mind, then it'll be possible for us to get rid of this (the practice of giving and taking bribe)," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the government is tirelessly working to spread the touch of development to the grassroots.
"Our development is not for a handful of people. We're doing that for changing the lifestyle of the people at the grassroots, increasing their purchasing capacity, graduating from the poverty line and stopping the tendency to come to the city from rural areas," she said.
Talking about the overall development of a district, the Prime Minister asked the field-level employees of the republic to consider the population, geographic area of a particular district.
"We've proven that it's possible to develop the country if anyone wants to do so," she said.
She said in the last ten years the country has developed a lot and emphasised the continuation of this advancement.
"The geographic position of Bangladesh in South Asia is in a very important place. We can build Bangladesh as a bridge between the east and the west," she said.
Regarding the population of the country, Sheikh Hasina said sometimes some people think that population is a burden.
"But I don't consider it as burden. I think that if we can transform this population into a skilled workforce, then this population will become our main power," she said.
She also said skilled manpower will be useful for the country and play a role in economic development of other countries as well.
The Prime Minister gave utmost importance to the planned use of the fertile land and said the government is establishing some 100 economic zones across the country.
"All industrialisation will be done in these economic zones. There'll be no scope to set up industries indiscriminately. Tough legal steps have to be taken in this connection," she said.
She also asked the field-level officials to formulate plan up to union level for various kinds of purposes including land and waste management.
The Prime Minister gave a 31-point directive to the DCs.
They include taking necessary steps to celebrate centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020, celebrate the golden jubilee of independence in 2021, remain careful that no-one is not harassed or neglected while taking government services, taking stern actions in eradicating militancy and terrorism and continuing anti-drug drives.
She also directed the DCs to be more sincere regarding eradication of poverty, encourage mass people to use ICT, work with the public representatives for ensuring good governance, looking after the matter of dropouts in schools, bring transparency in land management, ensure hassle-free distribution of fertiliser, seeds, power and fuel for agricultural production, raise awareness against contaminated food items, reduce the case congestions in the court by making the village courts effective, play effective role in keeping peaceful situation in the industrial areas, strengthening the market monitoring system to take check market manipulation with an iron hand, check women and children torture, trafficking, dowry, eve-teasing and adolescent marriage and stop violence against women.
She also said she wanted to empower the local government with an aim to decentralise the administration.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain, and PM's Principal Secretary Md Nozibur Rahman and Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam also spoke at the conference held at PMO.
Divisional Commissioner of Khulna Lokman Hossain Miah, Tangail DC Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Sherpur DC Anar Koli Mahbub and Chittagong DC Mohammad Ilias Hossain spoke on the occasion on behalf of the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners.
Deputy Commissioners' (DCs) Conference is an annual meeting of the heads of districts with government policymakers aimed at discussing policy matters and development strategies to gear up the field level administration.
Ministers, PM's advisers, state ministers, deputy ministers, senior secretaries and secretaries concerned attended the function.
A views-exchange meeting was held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after the inaugural session.
