The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Savar

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed on Sunday said the civil servants must constantly mould their thoughts and actions with integrity, honesty, neutrality and abhorrence to all forms of corruption.

"At all times you must remember that you are servants of the republic and functionaries of a democracy where people are passionate about their rights", he added.

The Chief Adviser said this while addressing the closing function of 39th foundation training course of the young officers in the auditorium of the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) here.

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr. AB Mirza Azizul Islam and Education Adviser Ayub Quadri spoke on the occasion. The Cabinet Secretary, high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.

BPATC Rector Abu M Maniruzzaman Khan gave welcome address and administered the oath of the trained officers.

The Chief Adviser distributed certificates and medals among the officers placed as top-ten in the four-month course. BPATC Rector presented a crest to the Chief Adviser.

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed said "Today, Bangladesh is in the cusp of great changes. The government is seeking through the reforms process to establish institutions that will strengthen the basis of pluralism in our ethos."

The Chief Adviser said civil servants must help alleviate poverty, empower women, educate the youth and take the nation forward along the path of progress.

The Chief Adviser said "As civil servants you must perform your tasks without fear or favour, and in conformity with the values that are the atributes of an apolitical public administration system in a modern democracy".

Referring to good governance, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed said it must not just be an aspiration but must be a regular feature of your daily life. No action of a public official must erode in any way of transgress the fundamental rights of a citizen, he added.

He said a sense of and obligation to human rights and rule of law must be guiding principle of the activities of the civil servants. You must resolutely implement policies that the government will set for the nation, he added.

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed said "I would myself accord high priority to Information Technology. In this age of globalisation ICT has become an inalienable component of office management"

The Chief Adviser added "In our neighbouring countries, this skill is transforming the social, economic and even political landscape. We must use our vast intellectual potentials to develop this knowledge, and convert it into a key to open new doors of progress."

Dr. Fakhrudin Ahmed said that he is pleased to learn that the training system in the BPATC has been brought in line with the needs of a modern bureaucracy.

In addition to discourses on development administration some practical prerequisites of personal skill development such as driving, computing and English language learning have been included, he added.

The Chief Adviser hoped that the training will provide the public servants with desirable cohesiveness, transparency, accountability, discipline, efficiency and effectiveness.

Recalling the early days of his career, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed said "This event fills me with an element of nostalgia. I, too, was once a young civil servant and cherished the training that I went through to equip me for my responsibilities."

He said the BPATC has been performing splendidly in discharging its responsibility in this respect For two decades it has been imparting a uniform perception among different cadres with regards to what is expected to them.

This is in regard to functions, structures, strategies processes and objectives of public administration, he added.