The much-awaited annual conference of the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) begins on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to open it, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat after the Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet meeting was held at the Cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad with the Prime Minister in the chair.

The DC conference has already been shortened to a three-day one from five-day, which will take place at Osmani Memorial Auditorium instead of the meeting room in the Cabinet division due to the fresh surge of Covid-19, said the Cabinet Secretary.

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Amid the surge of new variant Omicron, only 15 ministers and secretaries of 15 ministries have been invited to the inauguration ceremony, he said.

Besides, the DCs have been asked to do the RT-PCR test along with his gunman, driver and companions before joining the conference, he said.

Anwarul Islam revealed that till now two divisional commissioners and five DCs became tested with Covid-19 positive.

They are divisional commissioners of Rajshahi and Barisal and DCs of Cox’s Bazar, Rajshahi, Patuakhali, Laxmipur and Chuadanga.

Replying to a question regarding the use of virtual platforms against the backdrop of fresh surge of Coronavirus, he said “We actually don’t want to use technology as the Prime Minister talks and gives advice here.”

In this connection, he said they have shifted the conference to Osmani Memorial Auditorium considering the Covid-19 situation and only 64 persons will be allowed to the venue although it has the capacity to accommodate 700 people.

The cabinet secretary said President Abdul Hamid will deliver a speech virtually on Tuesday evening while Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury and the Chief Justice are also scheduled to address it virtually on Wednesday.

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The issues including Covid-19, land management, law enforcement, strengthening activities of local government, disaster management, poverty reduction and employment at the local level, social safety net activities, ICT and e-governance, education, health, environment, physical infrastructure and development activities are expected to be highlighted during the three-day DC conference.