Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has urged Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) to work with the utmost responsibility and humanity for the welfare of the country and its people.
Addressing a meeting of UNOs at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Tejgaon on Saturday, he described public service as a great trust and a blessing from Allah.
“We are here today, but we may not be tomorrow,” Tarique said, calling on officials to help the distressed and leave a safe, habitable Bangladesh for the next generation. He reminded them that field-level officers serve as a bridge between the government and the public.
Even if the upazila they serve is not their own, they must treat the local residents as their own relatives.
He said societal problems cannot be solved by laws alone, urging UNOs to actively raise public awareness. Pointing to recent improvements in Dhaka’s air quality, which had long topped global pollution indices, he stressed the need to push environmental initiatives forward.
He suggested encouraging tree plantation and promoting local sports, which foster youth discipline, without waiting only for national days.
Expressing concern over declining moral values and growing cruelty in society due to mental and social stress, Tarique urged UNOs to foster empathy and compassion.
He advised them to visit schools to raise awareness among children, saying lessons on humanity and animal welfare are being added to the primary school curriculum from this term.
At the meeting, he thanked and praised UNOs from 83 upazilas for their honesty in completing canal-excavation projects and returning surplus funds to the state treasury.
The UNOs reported that the projects have transformed local agriculture, enabling areas to produce three crops a year instead of two, and improving irrigation and drainage.
Accepting thank-you messages from local beneficiaries, Tarique warned that dropping groundwater levels require immediate preparation. He announced plans to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals nationwide to conserve water, boost agricultural yield, prevent waterlogging, and maintain ecological balance.
He concluded that true development is not limited to infrastructure or economic growth, but must include building humanity, empathy, and responsibility, urging that Bangladesh become a safe haven for all living creatures.
The meeting was also attended by PM’s Public Administration Affairs Adviser Ismail Zabihullah, Minister of State for Public Administration Abdul Bari, Nasimul Ghani, PMO Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, PM’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, along with senior PMO officials.
