The government will soon form a Public Administration Reform Commission and move ahead with its election pledge to reform the public service, Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan said on Monday.
“Some time is being taken, but it will be formed soon, InshaAllah,” he told journalists at an exchange of views marking the government’s 180 days at the International Conference Centre “Shapla” at Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.
Nazrul said the proposed commission would require proper institutional support and that the government wanted to ensure there were no obstacles within the administration before launching the reform process.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration Ismail Zabihullah said the government had not moved away from its election commitment to reform public administration and was already taking preparatory steps.
He said the government had identified officials linked to the previous Awami League government and was taking steps to remove such elements from positions where necessary.
“We are trying to carry out a cleansing operation, and that process is continuing,” Zabihullah said.
He, however, said reform measures would be implemented carefully to ensure they did not cause any harm to the country or its people.
“We also have to move away from the politicisation of the administration,” he said, adding that the government had reviewed the public administration reform report prepared during the interim government.
“We are going to formally constitute a commission for public administration reform very soon. You will see it shortly,” he added.
Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said the process of forming a Media Commission was underway.
He said media stakeholders who met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had appreciated the government’s decision not to exercise control or influence over the media.
The minister said the proposed commission would institutionalise the existing arrangements and that there was no difference between the interests of media stakeholders and the government’s commitment.
Following the prime minister’s directive, the government began consultations with stakeholders and was close to completing the process, Swapon said.
He added that a working group would be formed next to prepare a draft national action plan, which would later be placed before the Cabinet.
Before the question-and-answer session, PMO spokesperson Mahadi Amin presented statistics on the government’s activities and achievements over the past 180 days.
Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly moderated the programme, attended by PM’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon.
State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yaser Khan Chowdhury, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health SM Ziauddin Haider, Special Assistant on Environment, Forest and Climate Affairs Saimum Parvez and Chief Coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office Prof SM Abdul Awal, among others, were also present.
