Govt issues 23 directives to curb corruption, improve services

The government has issued 23 directives to ministries and divisions to strengthen administrative discipline, curb corruption and improve public services, including forming internal committees to scrutinise officials facing repeated corruption allegations and discouraging repeated foreign trips by the same individuals.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of secretaries held at the Cabinet Division on September 15, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and senior secretaries and secretaries of various ministries and divisions attended the meeting. The decisions were later communicated to all ministries and divisions.

Under the directives, each ministry and division will form an internal committee to identify officials and employees against whom corruption allegations have been raised at multiple workplaces. If allegations are proven, necessary action must be taken and measures introduced to prevent further corruption.

Ministries and divisions have also been asked to discourage repeated foreign trips by the same officials and employees.

To reduce electricity consumption, solar panels will be installed at ministries, divisions and subordinate offices. Progress reports must be submitted to the Power Division every two months, while steps must be taken to prevent unnecessary and excessive electricity use.

All government offices have been instructed to introduce digital attendance systems to ensure employees report to work on time. Attendance devices will be installed, with the ICT Division taking steps to connect attendance data to a central dashboard.

The directives also stress cleanliness at government offices. Upazila-level offices will submit cleanliness reports to upazila nirbahi officers every 15 days, which will then be forwarded through deputy commissioners and divisional commissioners to the Cabinet Division.

Departmental action under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018, will be taken against employees who use others to lobby on their behalf over service-related matters. Dossiers will also be maintained on such incidents.