The interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, is set to appoint new Deputy Commissioners (DCs) across all districts in Bangladesh. A new fit list has been prepared, prioritizing those who were previously overlooked for promotion during the Awami League government's tenure. The fit list, developed by the Ministry of Public Administration, includes over 600 officials from the BCS 24th, 25th, and 27th batches, who have been deprived of promotions in the past 15-16 years. The interim government aims to address these long-standing grievances by considering these officials for the DC roles. A high-ranking official confirmed that the previous fit list created under the Awami League government is not being considered. Instead, the new list focuses on officials with extensive field administration experience who were previously sidelined due to political reasons. Many of these officials were labeled as supporters of opposition parties, leading to negative intelligence reports that blocked their promotions. In light of this, the government has relaxed the criteria for DC appointments to give these officials a fair chance. The committee, led by the Cabinet Secretary, has made special provisions to ensure that these deserving officers are appointed as DCs. Read more: Interim Govt taking steps to declare Metro Rail a key point installation for enhanced security: Adviser Fouzul The new policy allows officials who have been in the BCS (Administration) cadre for at least one year as Deputy Secretary and have a minimum of two years of experience in specific roles, such as Deputy Director or Additional Deputy Commissioner, to be eligible for the DC positions. They must also have a satisfactory disciplinary record over the past five years and demonstrate proficiency in project management, ICT, and both Bangla and English. Despite their qualifications, many of these officers were denied DC positions under the previous government. The decision to relax the policy and create a new fit list reflects the interim government's commitment to addressing these past injustices. The process of appointing new DCs began on Saturday, with interviews of 60 officials from the BCS 24th batch conducted under the supervision of Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain. Interviews will continue over the next three days, involving more officials from the 24th batch and beyond. Several Deputy Secretaries from various ministries and departments have been shortlisted for the DC positions. The interviews include officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Finance, and the Anti-Corruption Commission, among others. Read more: Interim Government to publish White Paper on current economic situation In a related development, approximately 200 Joint Secretaries from the 9th to 13th BCS batches, who were also deprived of promotions, are set to be promoted to Additional Secretary. The recommendation for these promotions was sent to the Chief Adviser’s office on Saturday, with an official notification expected by Sunday or Monday. However, it has been reported that certain officials who previously served in key roles within the Prime Minister's Office will not be considered for the DC appointments, as per directives from higher authorities.

Ruling Awami League MP elected from Thakurgaon-2 Constituency M Dabirul Islam on Thursday alleged that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNOs) are running their areas where the MPs are remaining neglected. He made the complaint that the attitude of the government officials is that the country became independent by fighting on their words and the people's representatives are uninvited people. Dabirul Islam made these allegations while participating in the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech. He said that currently the public representatives cannot even give a blanket from the relief fund which is a government relief. "We (MPs) are at the mercy of UNOs and government officials." Read more: Stay away from corruption, serve people, President asks DCs The AL MP said: “Currently the bureaucracy... I don't know how it is in other areas. In my district and in my area, I have seen UNO saheeb doing everything. The idea is that the country was liberated by fighting on their words. We are strangers to them.” He claimed that the situation is not very different in other areas. “There are many in this Parliament whose areas are ruled by government officials. We are just elected. They are the owners of the real power.”

The three-day annual conference of the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) will begin on Tuesday (January 24, 2023). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to open it at 10 am at Shapla Hall in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain while briefing reporters at the Secretariat. This time there will be a total of 26 sessions, including 20 working sessions, with various ministries in the DC conference that will end on Thursday (January 26, 2023). On this occasion, the DCs will meet the President, the Chief Justice and the Speaker and take instructions from them, said the cabinet secretary. Also Read: DCs asked to take steps against brick kilns In the conference the deputy commissioners will exchange views with the relevant ministries for the implementation of various policies, strategies and instructions of the government, he said. Secondly, they come up with various reform proposals based on the challenges they face, the experience they accumulate at the field level while implementing the government's various directives and policies, Mahub said. “We have received a total of 245 proposals from various ministries and deputy commissioners this year,” he added. In response to a question regarding the next national election, he said, “We will provide full cooperation for holding a fair election. We hope that new momentum will come in our field level activities through this year's DCs Conference.”  

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday issued a contempt of court rule against nine people including the Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) for failure to halt hills cutting. The HC asked the respondents why action will not be taken against them for not implementing its directions on the issue. A bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the rule after hearing a writ petition. Nine respondents are Environment, Forest and Climate Change Affairs Secretary Farhina Ahmed, Department of Environment (DoE) Director General (DG) Abdul Hamid, Cox's Bazar DC Md Mamunur Rashid, SP Md Hasanuzzaman, Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Imran Hossain Sajib, Cox's Bazar Sadar UNO Mohammad Zakaria, Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge and Cox's Bazar DoE Assistant Director Md Saiful Ashraf. Read:HC forms expert committee to prevent plagiarism in PhD thesis Lawyers Manzil Morshed and Ripon Bare stood for the writ petitioner. Morshed said the High Court gave a verdict to preserve the hills and stop cutting them down and protect the environment on July 19, 2012, and directed the respondents to implement the verdict. However, defying the court order, houses and structures are being built in Cox's Bazar and Ukhiya by damaging hills. From this perspective, the court issued the rule.

President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday asked the deputy commissioners not to abuse power while discharging their responsibilities to the citizens. "The exercise of power is essential for the proper and efficient discharge of responsibilities,” the president said addressing virtually the DC Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium. “But it is even more important to ensure that power is not abused. So consciously maintain the difference of responsibility and power in the workplace," he told the top district-level officials. Also read: Work rising above fear and greed: Hasina to DCs President Hamid reminded the officials of the great leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the creation of independent Bangladesh. "We should not forget that since the country became independent under the leadership of Bangabandhu, today I have become the president, you have become the secretary, divisional commissioner and deputy commissioner," he said. Stating that getting services is the right of the people, he said you will have to perform duties as a servant of the people.  "Deliver government services to the doorstep of the people. It should be remembered that we run our family with peoples' money. So providing government services is not a matter of kindness or benevolence," he said. Mentioning social security programmes as an effective medium for poverty alleviation and social justice, the president said the officials concerned must ensure benefits of the programme reach the real poor. "You have to provide effective leadership to meet the basic needs of poor people of the country, social protection and public empowerment of people, especially women empowerment," he also said. He said land records and survey management is being digitized to ensure the best use of land and land related services.  Also read: PM’s 24-point directive to DCs to improve public services "But during the land record, a group of dishonest employee is doing many irregularities in collaboration with local influential brokerage and taking illegal facilities. It is increasing the public sufferings," he said. He also asked the officials to be strict in these matters and take a strong step to stop any irregularities and ensure the punishment against the involved officers and employees. Describing corruption as the biggest obstacle to the development, he said "Durable development is being interrupted due to corruption. The culture of transparency and accountability in each level of field administration must be developed." Hamid said that the Deputy Commissioner Conference is an important forum for discussions about the activities taken up for people at the field level. Cabinet Secretary Khandhakar Anawarul Islam delivered the welcome speech while deputy commissioner of Sunamganj Jahagir Hossain and divisional commissioner of Chattagram division Kamrul Hasan spoke at the session.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday issued a 24-point directive to deputy commissioners (DCs) linking hassle-free services from public offices to removing corruption from the ongoing development programmes. The prime minister gave the directives while inaugurating the three-day DCs’ Conference-2022 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban. The directives are: 1.    Ensuring implementation of government directives to face coronavirus crisis 2.    Ensuring proper implementation and continuation of development and service-oriented activities that have been taken marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and observing Mujib Borsho. 3.    Ensuring implementation of various programmes that have been taken for ensuring food security and stable market price Read: Govt wants to build knowledge-based society: PM 4.    Ensuring hassle-free services in due time from public offices 5.    Expediting activities to attain goals that are fixed under SDGs localisation. 6.    Ensuring that the genuine distressed, helpless and deprived marginal people can avail of all social safety-net programmes, including houses for homeless and distribution of agricultural lands among landless people 7.    Taking initiatives to improve academic activities in educational institutions. Take initiative for continuation of online classes during COVID-19. Giving special attention to the educational institutions of remote areas 8.    Supervising round the clock all community clinics and union health and family welfare centres and creating health awareness among people 9.    Ensuring sports and cultural activities and practice of creativeness in every area for flourishing physical and mental of children 10. Taking initiatives to set up new parks and fields apart of preserving existing parks and spirits fields in districts and upazilas 11. Working for creating skilled manpower equipped with high-tech knowledge to take highest facility from the fourth industrial revolution keeping the pace with evolving world 12. Working to ensure safe use of information technology and the internet and taking initiative for containing the misuse of social media and spreading rumours using it. Read: Bangladesh to be governed with Bangabandhu’s political ideology: PM 13. Taking a firm stance against religious extremism and militancy aiming to maintain heritage of Bangladesh’s religious harmony and secularism 14. Continuing zero tolerance policy against drugs for building a drug-free society and maintaining regular anti-drug drives.

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. Read: Cabinet clears draft law over EC formation 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. Read: Held hostage by bureaucracy, bemoans ruling party MP 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.

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club just inches away from league runners up beating Rahmatganj MFS by 1-0 goal in the 13-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football' 2020-21 at the Banglabandhu National Stadium (BNS)  here on Tuesday. Mohammad Nurul Absar scored the match-winner in the 27th minute of the match. With the day's victory, Sheikh Jamal DC almost assured the league runners up position securing 49 points from 23 matches while Rahmatganj MFS are in the 9th slot with 22 points from 23 encounters. In the day's a other match, Dhaka Mohammedan SC defeated Muktijoddha Sangshad KC by 2-0 goals at the Army Stadium in Banani. Mohammedan took lead in the 30th minute by a gifted goal when Minhajul of Muktijoddha sent the ball to his own net . Mohammed Atikuzzaman doubled Mohammedan  margin scoring one more goal in the 33rd minute. Despite the day's feat, Mohammedan SC remained at the 4th slot in the league table collecting 43 points from 23 matches while Freedom fighter team Muktijoddha are in the 10th slot with 19 points from 23 encounters. READ: AFC Cup: Kolkata Mohun Bagan emerge group D champions playing 1-1 with Bashundhara Kings In the day's other match, Saif SC managed a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh Police FC at  BNS. Faisal Ahmed Fahim and Kenneth Ikechukwu scored one goal each for Saif SC, one in each half. Saif SC are in the 5th place securing 41 points from 22 outings while Police FC are in the 8th slot with 25 points from 23 encounters. The day's other league match between my two relegated teams, Arambagh KS beat Brothers Union by 1-0 goal scored by Islomjan in the 32nd minute. READ: BPL Football:Sheikh Russel KC crush Uttar Baridhara Club  5-1 Arambagh KS bagged eight points and Brothers Union Club seven points, playing 23 matches each.

Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment has directed the district and upazila administration to provide humanitarian aid and ensure social safety of the returnee migrant workers.   Deputy Commissioners and Upazila Nirbahi Officers were directed to ensure these facilities to the returnees and their families, said a handout from the Ministry on Sunday.   Earlier on April 26, a meeting presided over by Expatriates' Welfare Minister Imran Ahmed, recommended ensuring social safety net for the returnees and their families during the ongoing pandemic.   A notice was published in this regard and later on July 1, all the UNOs and DCs were directed to provide humanitarian aid to the distressed returnees and their families.

Dhaka, Aug 30 (UNB) – A list of executive engineers (EXENs) of LGED whose spouses and children are not living with them at district headquarters is being prepared, said LGRD Minister Md Tazul Islam on Thursday.