PM Hasina reiterates warning against corruption
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked senior government officials to act promptly against corruption so the menace could not hinder her government’s development endeavours, reports BSS.
She said this after witnessing the signing of annual performance agreements (APA) of different ministries with the cabinet division.
“You (senior officials) will have to give instructions to the grassroots officials (of civil administration) to stop corruption, so the development which has been achieved due to our relentless work, isn’t hampered,” she said while addressing the signing ceremony at the Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Dhaka.
The prime minister also voiced a note of warning against corruption saying, “We will not tolerate it anymore.”
She also asked the senior government officials to take appropriate measures to make the government officials aware of corruption.
The prime minister labelled bribe, both taking and giving, as crime and requested all to stay away from the menace.
Sheikh Hasina asked the government officials to exercise national integrity strategy for stopping corruption, adding that the countrymen will get benefit of massive developments made during the tenure of the Awami League government if corruption can be contained.
Sheikh Hasina highly appreciated the government officials for working sincerely to implement the APA, saying “You have been working sincerely since we’ve assumed office. We have been able to achieve 8.1 per cent growth in GDP and increase per capita income to $1909 alongside acquiring the middle income country status from the least developed one.”
She instructed them to be more dynamic in implementing the APAs signed for the FY 2019-20.
She urged the senior government officials to take decision about the matter beneficial for their ministries and work accordingly.
The prime minister also asked the government officials to work in such a way so that every people of the country can meet their minimum basic needs.
Mentioning that her government wants to forward the country fast, she said “We want to transform the country into a prosperous and developed one free from poverty, corruption and militancy.”
Sheikh Hasina said her government is taking the country ahead with a specific and well-thought-out plan for which the country has achieved honour in the world, adding “We have to maintain it in the future.”
She also said, “We are always working with long term plan as it will not be possible to go forward without it. Now we are implementing the 7th five-year plan and second perspective plan (2021-2041) to make the country a developed and prosperous one by 2041.”
Cabinet secretary on behalf of the prime minister and secretaries or senior secretaries on behalf of the ministers concerned signed the APA.
Secretaries or senior secretaries handed over the APA to the prime minister after signing the agreements.
The prime minister adorned the women and children affairs and the agricultural ministries and IME Division with certificates for their best performance according to the APA during the 2018-2019 fiscal.
Sheikh Hasina also handed over Integrity Award-2017-18 to the IME Division of planning ministry for showing the highest performance in accomplishing its annual activities.
Cabinet members, prime minister’s advisors, secretaries, heads of various departments, senior officials and diplomats of different countries were also present in the programme.
State minister for public administration Farhad Hossain, cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam, principal secretary to PMO Md Nojibur Rahman and power division senior secretary Ahmed Kaikaus spoke on the occasion.
Chief coordinator on SDGs in the PMO Abul Kalam Azad was present on the dais.
A video documentary highlighting various activities under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) was also screened on the occasion.