The government is going to take action against those deputy commissioners (DCs) whose spouses and children are not living with them at district headquarters, said LGRD Minister Md Tajul Islam on Thursday. “A move is underway to prepare a list of such DCs. The government will soon take action,” he said while addressing a programme marking the launching of a study report titled ‘State of Social Accountability and Deliberative Democracy in Bangladesh Current Dynamics and Future Pathway’ of Brac University at Brac Inn auditorium in the capital.
Tajul Islam said it has been observed that the quality and standard of schools, colleges and other educational institutions of a district are not monitored and maintained properly where the children of DCs are not studying. So, he said, the government wants to make sure that the children and spouses are living with the district chief executives.
The event was also addressed by former caretaker government adviser Resheda K Chowdhury; executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam; Hunger Project country director Dr Badiul Alam Majumder; and DFID Social Development Adviser Anwarul Haq. Brac Institute of Governance and Development executive director Dr Imran Matin delivered the welcome address while BIGD senior research fellow Dr Mirza M Hassan presented the study report.
Tajul Islam said the local-government bodies have to be strengthened as 123 kinds of services are being provided to people through a number of institutions.
He said his ministry will not allow the mayors of those municipalities to go abroad on tour programme where employees are not getting salaries. Rasheda K Chowdhury said civil society representatives are not the rival to the government, and the government should work together with them for the betterment of Bangladesh.
Shaeen Anam said negligence in discharging duty has been a culture in the country and the responsible people love to show up their strength. “But people have the right to receive the services from government agencies while executives are responsible to deliver that.”