<i>Unique step for transparency </i>
Officials brought face to face with journalists in Khagrachhari
Following a rare initiative to ensure government officials' accountability and transparency about their service to the people, all the 60 departmental chiefs of government offices in Khagrachhari hill district yesterday faced the reporters from print and electronic media.
The Army in Khagrachhari Region arranged the gathering, first of its kind in the country, at their auditorium hall in Khagrachhari Sadar upazila.
The government officials faced a number of questions as reporters raised different issues including disruption and irregularity in power and water supply, government offices' failure to provide people good services.
Khagrachhari Region Commander Brig Mohammad Qamruzzaman moderated the discussion while Khagrachhari Hill District Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura was present as chief guest.
Raising questions about the duties and responsibilities of government departments, the reporters wanted to know why very little progress was made in the field of development including roads and construction works.
Frequent absence of responsible government officials from the offices and lack of coordination among government offices also came up in the discussion.
Strongly criticising the Water Development Board for their failure to stop river erosion in Khagrachhari district, the reporters said the engineer was found absent from his office most of the time.
They urged the related government organisations to ensure better services with transparency and check all kinds of corruption.
Replying to the reporters' question, the concerned officials mentioned different problems including crimes, extortion, kidnap for ransom and lack of security as barrier to ensuring satisfactory development works.
There would be significant change if there were no pressures from politicians, they said.
Seeking cooperation from the reporters, the officials asked them to inform about the negligence of their fellow officials.
The moderator of the discussion, Brig Mohammad Qamruzzaman said he will organise such discussions to ensure transparency in government offices and ensure corruption-free services for the people of Khagrachhari.
Welcoming arrangement of the discussion, KHDC Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura said such discussions work as remedy in the government as well as non-government departments.
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