DCs seek more powers, facilities

The deputy commissioners from across the country have submitted dozens of demands to the Cabinet Division seeking more facilities and powers for the field-level administrators.

They made the submission with a view to raising the demands in their annual conference beginning in Dhaka on Sunday.

The hitherto three-day routine event for the divisional commissioners and the deputy commissioners has been extended to five days from this year, including separate sessions with the chief justice and the speaker, besides the DCs’ meetings with the president and the prime minister at their respective offices.

‘The decision to incorporate separate session with the chief justice has been taken on the basis of recommendations from the DCs as it is their responsibility to comply with the Supreme Court directives in the field administrations,’ cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told a press briefing at the secretariat on Thursday.

It was also for the first time that the chiefs of three services would attend a session on the defence ministry and the Armed Forces Division on the fourth day at the Cabinet Division, he added. 

In their written proposals, several DCs have asked for appointing a ‘specialised police force’ under the disposal of each deputy commissioner’s office in 64 districts for the overall security of their offices, circuit houses and for operations of mobile courts. 

They also want withdrawal of the fuel ceiling for them. 

They have demanded establishment of an Ansar battalion in each upazila to reduce pressure on the police in maintaining law and order at the grassroots level.

The DCs want a specialised university to be established for civil servants, according to the conference documents.

Asked about the present challenges for the local administration to be discussed with the government policymakers, Shafiul said, ‘Land management, maintenance of law and order and strengthening activities of the local government bodies would be high on the agenda during the conference that will have 24 business sessions.

This is the first annual conference of the DCs after prime minister Sheikh Hasina took over the rein of the country for the third consecutive term in January.

The DCs have already sent 333 proposals to the Cabinet Division relating to the Prime Minister’s Office and 54 ministries/divisions for discussions with the government policymakers in working sessions during the conference.

In their written proposals,   DCs from Cox’s Bazar, Cumilla, Bagerhat and Chuadanga have proposed appointing a fulltime ‘special force’ under the district administration. 

The Feni deputy commissioner has recommended establishment of an Ansar battalion in each upazila to share the responsibility of the police in maintaining the law and order.  

The Barishal deputy commissioner has suggested withdrawal of the fuel ceiling for the DCs due to their ‘increased responsibilities and [involvement in] VIP movements.’

The Gopalganj deputy commissioner has proposed that the upazila nirbahi officers should be given the authority to write the Annual Confidential Reports of the upazila project implementation officers under the disaster management and relief ministry for what the DC said ensuring transparency and containing irregularities.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the event at her Tejgaon office on Sunday morning.

The business sessions of the conference would be held at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

A total of 366 decisions were taken in the previous conference held in July 2018 and 92.90 per cent of them were implemented, the cabinet secretary stated.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net