PM defines her poll-time role

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has told the Secretaries that her government will not take any major decisions during election time despite having the power to do so.

The Secretaries told her on Monday that they were ready to work under such a system.

As per the Constitution, the looming general election will be held with an elected government in power, meaning the current government will oversee the balloting.

The election must be held within 90 days after the government’s term ends. It will, therefore, have to be held between Oct 24 and Jan 24.

The Prime Minister’s statement on Monday made it clear that she would not take any important decision after Oct 25, although she will still be in power.

“The Secretaries told the Prime Minister that they were ready to serve under that system,” said Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan.

Hasina met the officials for three hours after her regular Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat.

The Prime Minister directed them to air their ideas about the working of the government during the election, Bhuiyan told reporters after the meeting.

“The government tenure is until Jan 24 as per the Constitution. Parliament will be in session for the 90 days prior to that but there will be no sessions after the term ends, the Prime Minister has mentioned this part of the Constitution,” he added.

“The Prime Minister has told the Secretaries to study the process of transition of power in various countries having parliamentary democracy.”

Fifty-eight secretaries were present at the meeting, 23 of whom spoke on the issue.

The BNP, the leading opposition party, has been campaigning for a non-party poll-time administration ever since the government, through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, scrapped the provision for holding the parliamentary polls under a caretaker government.

The Prime Minister was present at five previous meetings of the Secretaries during her government.

Her Public Administration Affairs Advisor HT Imam also attended the Monday’s meeting.

The Cabinet Secretary said the head of the government asked them to continue with the development programmes implemented in her government in its four years and eight months in office.

He said Hasina hailed the government officials for their role in implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) and expressed her willingness to decentralise power if her party was elected again.

The Secretaries assured her of their support to strengthening local government institutions and decentralising power.

Hasina urged the officials to complete the development programmes promptly.

Demands of the Secretaries

The Secretaries put forward a charter of demands that include constitution of a permanent pay commission and solution to housing problems of the officials.

The Cabinet Secretary said: “Civil service structure should be logical enough to attract and retain those brilliant. Otherwise, all will go to the private sector.”

The Secretaries requested the Prime Minister to consider their ‘post-retirement matters’.

As the officials raised their housing problem, she suggested using unused government lands to solve it.

The Secretaries requested the Prime Minister to take measures to effectively handle the cases that the government filed at different courts.

Bhuiyan quoted the Prime Minister as telling them: “Promotions are being given generously in the administration.”

He referred to the promotion of 1650 officials beyond the posts available in the 80s.

“All of them have qualified for the promotion. It has come as a special case. But all cannot reach the highest level if many people from one batch are appointed.”