The three-day deputy commissioners' (DCs) conference concluded on Thursday with a call for implementing the government's agenda through expertise, skills and pro-people approach for development of the country.
The DCs were also urged to work 'beyond the box' to implement the government's Vision 2021.
"The government urged the DCs to work 'beyond the box' for carrying out its agenda for overall development of the country," cabinet secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told newsmen at a press briefing on the concluding day at Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the three-day DCs' Conference 2015 on July 28 last at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
She also shared her views in an open discussion with them where the field-level officials placed 31 proposals for implementing the government agenda.
Mr Bhuiyan said the Prime Minister had directed the field level officials not only to carry out their official responsibilities but also to concentrate themselves to execution of their social responsibilities.
He said the head of the government also directed the DCs to work for ensuring accommodation/houses for shelterless people, education for all, navigability of river routes, preservation of water reservoir, selection of area-wise products to increase export and discharge duties and keeping conformity with the characteristics of their respective areas.
The conference had 22 sessions, including 18 working sessions where a total of 39 ministries participated in the programme to discuss 253 proposals.
During the conference, the DCs also placed 281 proposals, increasing the number to 534, said the cabinet secretary.
"The government will trim all those proposals," he said adding that the proposals would be implemented either by the ministries/departments concerned or at the localities by the field-level officials.
He said most of the proposals came from the ministries of education and primary and mass education.
The ministry of land placed 25 proposals while 24 by the ministry of public administration.
Mr Bhuiyan said Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam stressed administrative decentralisation.
He said the PM gave directives to the officials concerned to carry out the government's development agenda.
Asked whether the DCs informed the government about political influence while carrying out their duties, Mr Bhuiyan said, "They (DCs) did not say anything about facing any political/ party influence at the time of implementing the government's agenda".
On the second day of the conference, bureaucrats met President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban. In his speech, the President gave them directives.
Various issues such as land management, improvement of law and order, strengthening of activities of local government and relief and rehabilitation work, implementation of poverty alleviation and social safety net programmes, use of information and communication technology and e-governance, education, healthcare and family planning and human resources development came up at the conference for discussion.
The cabinet secretary said 432 out of 464 decisions (short, mid and long term) taken at the DCs' conference last year had been implemented. The success rate was 93 per cent.
He further said the success rate was 92 per cent in 2013 when 436 out of 474 decisions were implemented. Besides, 486 out of 533 decisions were implemented in 2012, showing the success rate of 91.18 per cent.
Ministers, advisers, state ministers, deputy ministers, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, senior secretaries and high officials of the ministries concerned took part in the conference.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
