PM Directs New Officials to Ensure Citizens Are Not Harassed While Seeking Public Services
Government officials may hold political views or support a particular party, but such support should be reflected at the ballot box, not in government offices, the Prime Minister has said. He stressed that public administration officials must demonstrate efficiency, integrity and human values in carrying out their professional duties. They must also ensure that citizens seeking government services do not face any form of harassment.
The Prime Minister made these remarks in a written speech at the closing ceremony of the 81st Foundation Training Course on Sunday. The event was held at the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC). He wished the newly appointed officials success in their future careers and urged them to dedicate themselves to public service by applying the knowledge and skills they had acquired through training.
The Prime Minister said the officials had learned through training how to apply their academic knowledge in practical situations. Now, they must use that knowledge to properly discharge whatever responsibilities are assigned to them in public administration. He described the formal beginning of their professional careers as one of the happiest moments in their lives.
He said the more efficient the public administration became, the more successful the government’s activities would be. An administration built on efficiency, integrity and human values was essential to the overall success of a government. These qualities not only enrich individual officials but also strengthen the state and the government.
The Prime Minister noted that the Bangladesh Civil Service currently has 26 cadres. After completing their training, some officials will join the administration, foreign affairs, agriculture, taxation, education and information cadres. Although their duties and workplaces will differ, their primary identity will be that of public administration officials. Their main responsibility is to serve the people.
Addressing the newly appointed officials, he said there was no need for a lengthy lecture on what government employees should or should not do, as they already knew these things. What mattered more was their willingness to put that knowledge into practice. As head of government, he expected citizens of all ages to be able to visit government offices for assistance without facing any harassment.
Reminding the officials of a “golden rule”, he said, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” People may need help from others at different stages of their lives. Officials should therefore treat those who seek their assistance in the same way they would expect to be treated when they need help.
The Prime Minister said all administrative activities must be carried out in accordance with established rules and regulations, as officials have no scope to act outside the law. However, treating citizens with humanity is equally important in a modern state and administration.
He said asking an applicant to correct mistakes in an application was neither illegal nor wrong. However, instead of simply saying, “There is a mistake in your application; correct it and bring it back,” officials should clearly identify the mistake and explain where or whom the applicant should approach to have it corrected. Such conduct reflects humanity and sincerity. People expect government officials to show not only authority and issue instructions but also demonstrate compassion.
The Prime Minister urged officials not to compromise their professional competence or integrity in pursuit of preferred postings or promotions. He said public administration had thousands of positions, each essential and important for the state and government. However, some officials sometimes compromise their professional standards and integrity to secure preferred postings or promotions.
He said being mentally prepared to serve anywhere in the country and in any position in public administration was the ultimate sign of professionalism. Just as no government lasts forever, no position in public administration is permanent for any individual.
On political neutrality, the Prime Minister said he personally did not consider it wrong for government officials to support a political party. However, such support must be reflected at the ballot box, not in government offices.
He acknowledged that the current government was also implementing a political agenda through public administration. However, he said the difference from the past was that the people had voted to give the current government the responsibility of running the country so that it could implement these policies.
The Prime Minister said representatives of political parties had presented their election manifestos to the people before the national election, and the people had voted in favour of those commitments. The manifesto had therefore become the people’s mandate and a national document. Implementing it was the responsibility of the current government. He said the government expected officials to sincerely carry out the necessary administrative tasks to fulfil that responsibility.
Emphasising the need to make public services easier and more citizen-friendly, the Prime Minister said reducing administrative delays required more than administrative initiatives. A positive attitude among officials and employees could play an even more effective role. He expressed hope that the newly appointed officials would act responsibly in this regard.
Finally, he urged officials to give importance not only to their administrative responsibilities but also to environmental protection, ecological conservation and cleanliness. He called for greater awareness about keeping homes, offices and public spaces clean, saying such efforts would help create a clean environment and a cleaner country for future generations.
