Salahuddin calls for politically neutral civil service to meet public expectations

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday called on government officials to perform their duties with patriotism, integrity and professionalism while remaining completely free from political bias to fulfill the expectations of the people.

"The civil service is one of the most privileged sections of society. Officials should not consider themselves rulers but rather public servants dedicated to serving the people," he said.

The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of a four-day workshop titled "Efficient, Citizen-Friendly and Accountable Public Administration: Strategies for Implementing the Government's Commitments" at the BCS Administration Academy in Shahbagh marking the National Public Service Day-2026.

Describing the civil service as the driving force of the state, Salahuddin stressed that transparency and accountability must be ensured at every level of the administration to transform public service into a genuine servant of the people.

The event was chaired by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Md. Ehsanul Hoque.

Rector (Secretary) of the BCS Administration Academy Dr. Mohammad Altaf-Ul-Alam attended as special guest, while Additional Secretary (CPT) Mohammad Monirul Islam delivered the welcome address.

Salahuddin said workshops should produce tangible benefits for citizens rather than being organised merely as formal exercises or to attract attention from higher authorities.

Emphasising the need for evidence-based policymaking, he called for comprehensive reforms in the country's statistical system, alleging that key national statistics, including census data, agricultural production figures and per capita income, had been distorted during the previous regime for political purposes.

The minister said the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) should be strengthened into one of the country's most important public institutions to ensure accurate data for effective policy formulation.

Highlighting economic priorities, Salahuddin said agriculture and remittances should receive the highest priority to strengthen the country's economic foundation.

He also stressed the development of agro-based industries, greater investment in vocational and technical education to create a skilled workforce, and revitalising the family planning programme to address population growth.

The minister further said policy decisions are formulated by the government based on its political mandate, while the bureaucracy is responsible for translating those policies into programmes, preparing development projects and ensuring proper implementation through monitoring by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED).

He instructed civil servants to strictly adhere to existing rules and regulations, adding that implementing the elected government's manifesto and its 31-point commitments in accordance with the law is the primary responsibility of the administration.