The cabinet division is collecting reports on the rate of advancement in the development projects, promised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the 4 year tenure of current term of the government. How much advancements the secretaries of the concerned ministries and divisions made over the implementation of various commitments given by Prime Minister in different government programs and political meetings, were also under scrutiny.

Besides, the cabinet division is also working on the number of recruitment in the vacant positions in the directorates, agencies and departments under the concerned ministries and divisions. They also took the advice and opinions of the secretaries over how the vacancies in the government offices can be fulfilled quickly. The concerned secretaries were also given directions over playing proper roles in building ‘Smart Bangladesh’ within 2041.

Meeting of secretaries and equivalent ranked officers was held on Monday in the cabinet and the cabinet secretary presided over the meeting. There, the above mentioned matters were discussed, according to the sources from the meeting. Generally, the cabinet secretary briefs to the journalists after the secretarial meeting; however, the cabinet secretary didn’t talk to the media this time. But, some secretaries said, “In the meeting, they were asked about the advancement on the development projects promised by the Prime Minister. Already, information was collected over the matter and the performance of the secretaries has been laid under scrutiny.”

More than one officers who were present in the meeting, on the condition of remain anonymous, told The Bangladesh Pratidin that it wasn’t any secretarial meeting and basically was a meeting of secretarial committee on administrative development. Most of the secretaries and officers of equivalent rank were present in the meeting, where the advancement over Prime Minister’s promised projects was discussed thoroughly. The ministries having low project implementation rate were asked to show the cause.

In addition, how much vacant positions were fulfilled and how much vacancies there are in various directorates, agencies and departments under different ministries and division— have also been asked. It has also been asked that why the vacant positions weren’t fulfilled yet. Advices from the secretaries were also taken over the active role of the ministries in making ‘Smart Bangladesh’ within 2041. Besides, urgency was shown to follow and implement the directives given in cabinet meeting on November 27.

From the meeting of Monday, it was strictly said that the responsibility of implementing the decision of the government were surely on the administration. As there’s only one year left of this tenure of government, all the promised development projects of Prime Minister will have to implement within this time period. Then, the recruitment in the vacant positions of the ministries was discussed in the meeting.

According to the information came from the meeting, the total vacant posts in various government jobs are 3, 84,637. In the election of 2018, Awami League made promise to provide job facilities to all the families. However, a total of 51,909 officers and employees have been recruited in last fiscal year. The cabinet secretary asked the secretaries working in various ministries to become active to remove barrier in filling the vacancies.

Another secretary said the active role of the ministries regarding building ‘Smart Bangladesh’ within 2041 was also discussed in the meeting.

The Prime minister said, “We will build Bangladesh as developed and enrich country within 2041. And that Bangladesh will be ‘Smart Bangladesh.’ We will transfer to Smart Bangladesh from Digital Bangladesh. The government has been working on implementing four pillars of Smart Bangladesh. Those are: Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Governance and Smart society. The youth have to be prepared as Smart Citizen.”

Recalling this statement of the Prime Minister, the cabinet secretary Kabir Bin Anwar asked the concerned ministries and divisions to take necessary steps.  

@The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on December 27 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque