Public administration reform commission to be formed soon: Nazrul

The government will soon form a Public Administration Reform Commission and take forward its election pledge to reform the public service, Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan said Monday.

“Some time is being taken, but it will be formed soon, InshaAllah,” he said while responding to journalists’ questions at an exchange of views marking the government’s 180 days at the International Conference Centre “Shapla” at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.

Nazrul said the proposed commission would need proper institutional support and that the government wanted to ensure that no obstacles remained within the administration before undertaking the reform process.

Prime Minister’s adviser on Public Administration Ismail Zabihullah said the government has not deviated from its election pledge to reform public administration and is already taking preparatory measures.

He said the government has identified officials associated with the previous Awami League government and is taking steps to remove such elements from positions where necessary.

“We are trying to carry out a cleansing operation, and that process is continuing,” Zabihullah said.

At the same time, he said the government would ensure that reform measures do not cause any harm to the country or its people.

“We also have to move away from the politicisation of the administration,” Zabihullah said, adding that the government has also reviewed the report on public administration reform prepared during the interim government.

“We are going to formally constitute a commission for public administration reform very soon. You will see it shortly,” he said.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said the process of forming a Media Commission is underway.

He said media stakeholders who had met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman appreciated the government for not exercising government control or influence over the media.

The Minister said the government wanted to institutionalise the existing arrangement through the proposed commission and that there was no gap between the media stakeholders’ interest and the government’s commitment.

Following the prime minister’s directive, the government initiated consultations with stakeholders and is nearing completion of the meeting process, Swapon said.

A working group would next be formed to prepare a draft national action plan which would subsequently be placed before the Cabinet, he added.

Before the question-and-answer session, PMO spokesperson Mahadi Amin presented statistics on the government’s activities and achievements over the past 180 days.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly moderated the programme, where PM’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon also spoke.

State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yaser Khan Chowdhury, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health SM Ziauddin Haider, Special Assistant on Environment, Forest and Climate Affairs Saimum Parvez and Chief Coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office Prof SM Abdul Awal, among others, attended the programme.