Serve PMO promptly, smartly

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the officials of her office to be prompt and smart while dealing with files so that time is not wasted in any way.

"Sometimes a file comes and is sent back with some questions, and then again the file comes and sent back with more questions. There should be no waste of time in file sending and receiving," she said.

The prime minister gave the directives at a views-exchange meeting with senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Hasina said the government will execute another payscale for public servants from this month.

She said the PMO is connected with all the ministries. "That's why I'll ask you to improve your communication with the respective ministries for accelerating all works."

She asked the officials to visit ministries concerned and keep in touch with relevant officials. "This is also necessary to complete work on time."

The prime minister directed the government officials to be more active to take the country forward by implementing its economic policies and goals.

She asked them to think about people, especially the poor and working class. She said her government's aim is to ensure overall development of every citizen of the country and asked the officials of her office to work in proper coordination to achieve the target.

She suggested they complete government programmes and projects to achieve its vision 2021 and 2041 to be a higher middle-income and a front-ranking developed nation respectively.

Hasina emphasised reducing the income gap between the lower and higher-income group people, and said the government is implementing various programmes so that the lower-income people may graduate to the middle-income group.

She mentioned that over 5 crore people have graduated to middle-income group over the last six years, while poverty has reduced to 22 percent. "If we can reduce it to 14-15 percent, then we'll be able to declare Bangladesh a poverty-free country."

"I've the firm belief we can establish Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous nation in South Asia, and we're working with that self-confidence," she the told the PMO officials.

She mentioned that Bangladesh's foreign currency reserve now stands at US dollar 25.2 billion and the government could go for any big development programme with its own resource. "We've achieved that capability," she said.

PM's Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad moderated the meeting while PM's advisers and heads and senior officials of the PMO-affiliated organisations were present.