Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday stressed the need for government officials and employees to remain completely free from political bias and discharge their duties with patriotism, integrity and professionalism to meet public expectations.
“People have placed high expectations on the present government. Transparency and accountability must be ensured at every level of the administration to fulfil those expectations,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while inaugurating a 4-day workshop titled “Efficient, Citizen-friendly and Accountable Public Administration: Strategies for Implementing the Government’s Commitments” at the BCS Administration Academy auditorium at Shahbagh, marking National Public Service Day 2026.
He said the civil service, as the state's main driving force, must move away from the trend of politicisation witnessed over the past 17 years and transform itself into a true public service institution while ensuring transparency and accountability at every level of the administration.
Salahuddin Ahmed said workshops should produce tangible benefits for the public instead of serving as ceremonial events or attracting the attention of higher authorities.
The minister said the civil servants should consider themselves public servants rather than rulers. “You are among the most privileged sections of society. Do not see yourselves as rulers; dedicate yourselves to serving the people.”
Salahuddin Ahmed also stressed the need for comprehensive reforms in the country's statistical system, alleging that key national statistics have been distorted for political purposes during the previous regime.
He said inaccurate data were presented on the population census, agricultural production and per capita income, underscoring the need to strengthen the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) as one of the country's most important institutions for evidence-based policymaking.
Highlighting economic priorities, Salahuddin Ahmed said agriculture and remittances should receive the highest attention to strengthen the country's economic foundation.
He said Bangladesh still depends heavily on its farmers and agricultural sector and called for the development of agro-based industries by expanding agriculture, fisheries and livestock production.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of vocational and technical education to transform the country's large population into a skilled workforce.
He added that the government is also considering revitalising the Family Planning Department to address the country's rising birth rate.
Salahuddin Ahmed said policy decisions are formulated by the government based on its political mandate, while civil servants are responsible for translating those policies into programmes, preparing projects and ensuring proper implementation through monitoring by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).
He instructed officials to strictly follow existing rules and regulations while implementing the elected government's election manifesto and its 31-point commitments, saying these represent the mandate given by people.