The present government bears not even the slightest responsibility for Bangladesh’s ongoing power crisis, Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said on Wednesday.

"Even then, the Prime Minister has offered an apology for the hardship people are suffering," he said at a view-exchange meeting organised on the occasion of Nazrul Barsho at the conference room of the Rangpur Divisional Commissioner's Office in the afternoon.

Zahed said the performance of every ministry will be assessed every six months.

"What each ministry is doing, how it is doing it, what has been done and what will be done in the future -- these issues will be presented to the people," he said.

The adviser expressed hope that Bangladesh will have an election system in which people can exercise their voting rights and a democratic system in the future.

Regarding the people's mandate, he said, "This government is an elected government. The people have given this government a big victory. The government wants to protect this mandate at any cost."

Addressing district administration officials, Zahed said the BNP government has appointed qualified people to various districts and upazilas for the country's development.

"They will take their own decisions. It cannot be that permission from the centre will be required in every case," he said.

Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Md Shahidul Islam chaired the event.

Deputy Inspector General (Rangpur Range) of police Aminul Islam, deputy commissioners of the division's eight districts, district cultural officers and education officers also attended the programme.