United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday called for building a people-oriented administration to ensure faster, transparent and harassment-free services for citizens. “The administration must be made people-oriented, and much of that depends on your role. Our government wants an administration where ordinary people receive services at government offices with respect, quickly, transparently and without harassment. It is you who must ensure this,” he told deputy commissioners (DCs). The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing the “Annual Conference-2026” of the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar of Agargaon. He also called upon the deputy commissioners and divisional commissioners to work impartially and without fear for the welfare of the country and its people. “Work without fear and impartially for the welfare of the country and its people. The government will provide active support to your lawful and humane initiatives,” he said. Tarique Rahman described public trust as the state’s greatest asset, saying it grows gradually through transparency and accountability in government and administration. “I strongly believe you will remain careful about this. We must remember that the administration is not just a tool for enforcing the law; rather, it is a means of serving the people,” he observed. The Prime Minister said he also strongly believes that although the country faces numerous challenges, it also has significant potential. “If we can make use of our country’s demographic dividend and turn our young and working-age population into a skilled workforce, this population will become a valuable resource. They can transform our Bangladesh,” he said. He urged the deputy commissioners and divisional commissioners to work with a mindset of helping people as much as possible. “We also need to find all possible ways to uphold the religious and social values of our state and society. We must be guided by strong family values,” he said. “We should remember that the smallest unit of a state is the family. In the same way, a state is made up of many families. So, if families uphold religious and social values, national values will also become stronger,” Tarique Rahman added. He said the responsibility of implementing the government’s programmes largely depends on the administration, particularly field-level officials such as DCs and divisional commissioners, whom he described as the government’s administrative ambassadors on the ground. The Prime Minister said people judge the entire government by the service they receive at public offices. “When a citizen goes to a government office, he/she often does not know where to go or how to proceed. In such cases, a sincere and helpful attitude from officials can build trust in the state,” he said. The Prime Minister warned that harassment in service delivery not only deprives people of services but also erodes trust in the government. “Even if problems cannot be solved immediately, people should at least feel that the administration is sincere in addressing their issues,” he said. Tarique Rahman also said while law is important, humanity is even more important, stressing the need for humane behaviour towards service seekers, especially the elderly and the vulnerable people. He said people have high expectations from the current democratic government, which is committed to meeting their legitimate demands. “If people are truly the owners of the state, they should feel that ownership when they seek services at public offices,” he said. The event was held marking the conclusion of the four-day Deputy Commissioners’ Conference 2026, which began on May 3 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. During the conference, ministers and officials from different ministries held sessions with the DCs, providing guidelines and responding to their queries.