Govt sitting on NIAR decisions on Sylhet divn

Only seven out of 18 departments have offices at the divisional headquarters now, official sources said.

Besides problems in running the administration, this is also causing sufferings to the people of four districts under the division as they have to travel to Chittagong to get their official work done, sources said.

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In 1995, the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia announced formation of Sylhet division, the sixth administrative division in the country.

The National Institute for Administrative Reforms (NIAR) at a meeting on July 18, 1998 decided to set up offices of 18 departments at the earliest and formed a committee to select sites for those in Alampur area on the outskirts of the city.

A decision was also taken to immediately start offices of Local Government and Rural Development, Deputy Election Commissioner, Government Employees' Welfare Directorate, Land Reforms, Health, Ansar & VDP, Primary Education, Family Planning, Secondary & Higher Education and Fisheries Directorate.

Offices of the departments which have been started include the Government Employees' Welfare Directorate, Primary Education, Secondary & Higher Education and Deputy Election Commissioner.

Ten departments are yet to have offices. These included the Bureau of Anti-Corruption, Regional Controller of Food, Livestock, Information and Fire Service & Civil Defence.

Offices of the Divisional Commissioner and the Deputy Inspector General of Police were shifted to new buildings at Alampur in the city in 2000.

When contacted, district Awami League President ANM Shafique said most of the departments started functioning during the AL rule. "We expected that the BNP government would continue the process, but things remained undone".

District Secretary of ruling BNP Ariful Haque Chowdhury said steps are being taken to start functioning of the rest of the departments at the earliest.

Mohammad Ashraf Ali, a leader of Greater Sylhet Ganodabi Parishad said Sylhet division was formed after a long struggle. It is unfortunate that most of the departments are yet to start functioning fully eight years after formation of the division.

The Divisional Commissioner said steps are being taken to start functioning of the rest of the departments.