PM starts implementing honorific ban in his office, logs digital attendance

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has begun implementing the government’s decision to remove formal honorifics from official references to top state officials at his own office.

He is also logging digital attendance like other officials and staff.

The process began at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Thursday morning, with “Honourable” being removed from files, documents and other official work, the Cabinet Division said.

Tarique attended the office at the Secretariat in the morning and logged his digital attendance before entering his office, a senior official told bdnews24.com.

A Cabinet Division directive on Wednesday said “His Excellency”, “Honourable” or any other honorific must not be used before the titles of the president, prime minister, ministers, state ministers or deputy ministers in official correspondence, documents or summaries.

A senior Cabinet Division official said the directive was being put into practice at the highest level, with instructions to use only “Prime Minister” in files and other documents placed before Tarique.

The official described the move as part of a series of initiatives by Tarique to reduce emphasis on formal titles and put greater focus on public service, responsibility to the country and accountability to citizens.

The prime minister has also introduced a digital attendance system for himself as part of efforts to enforce office discipline.

Like other officials and employees, he records his attendance when entering the office and logs his departure at the end of the working day.

By following the same office rules as other officials, the prime minister is seeking to send a message that administrative procedures apply to him as well, officials said.

Officials from the PMO and Cabinet Division said the approach forms part of efforts to promote “punctuality, accountability and discipline” across the administration.

They said the practice by the head of government could lead to expectations for other officials to follow the same rules in a clearer manner.

Since taking office, Tarique has also taken steps to reduce what officials describe as personality-centred practices and unnecessary ceremony in state affairs.

These include dropping his photograph from government activities and publicity, reducing the number of vehicles in the prime minister’s protocol and keeping traffic signals open to the public during his movements.

He has also stopped using a flag-bearing vehicle for official travel at home and abroad except for state functions, according to officials.

The PMO says the measures are intended to convey that people holding senior state positions should carry out their duties as part of institutional systems and rules rather than through special privileges or forms of address.