DCs conference commits to development, power redistribution, and overcoming challenges

During a three-day conference, District Commissioners (DCs) and Divisional Commissioners pledged to address various administrative challenges at the grassroots level while also focusing on aligning development efforts with power redistribution.

The conference, held from February 16 to 18 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital, featured 30 working sessions and four special sessions. These included the inaugural ceremony, an open discussion with the Chief Advisor, a meeting with the Chief Justice, and the DCs' participation in the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association's meeting.

However, despite the usual practice, district administrators did not have the opportunity to meet with President Mohammad Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban this time, which has sparked debate among political analysts.

Focus on Reform and Public Service

Cabinet Division Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid stated that during this conference, 1,245 proposals related to 56 ministries, divisions, and agencies were discussed, with 354 of them included in the agenda. These proposals focused on public service, law and order, and infrastructure development.

In his opening speech, Chief Advisor Dr. Yunus urged DCs and Divisional Commissioners to work “fearlessly and independently,” directing them to ignore local pressures in developmental work. He also emphasized reforms in education and health sectors, controlling commodity prices, and increasing the speed of e-governance services.

On Sunday, February 16, at 10:30 AM, during the inauguration at the Shapla Hall of the Chief Advisor’s office in Tejgaon, a video was presented that highlighted the history and outcomes of the July public movement, which is considered a symbol of the government’s promises and law and order improvements.

Law and Order and Administrative Power at Local Government Level

The DCs proposed increasing administrative powers, such as preparing the police's annual report (ACR), representation in constable recruitment, and access to crime databases. The District Commissioners of Faridpur and Magura also suggested taking control over the recruitment and transfer of upazila (sub-district) employees.

The DCs of Shariatpur, Rangamati, and Pirojpur proposed transferring the leadership of family planning and disaster management committees to Upazila Executive Officers (UNOs), which is currently under the jurisdiction of the Upazila Parishad Chairmen.

Focus on Health, Education, Environment, Disaster Management, and Infrastructure Development

On Monday (February 17), on the second day, discussions with the Chief Justice and District Commissioners (DCs) at the Supreme Court focused on health and education proposals.

Plans were made to establish a government medical college hospital in Bandarban, upgrade the Brahmanbaria General Hospital to a 500-bed facility, and set up a CCU-ICU.

District commissioners called for the renaming of the positions of Upazila Health Officers and for strengthening hospital security through the Ansar force.

In the education sector, proposals were made to regulate fees in both public and private educational institutions, ensure transparent use of collected fees, and modernize madrasa education.

Pabna DC Mohammad Mofizul Islam proposed creating policies to prevent corruption in the education sector and ensure financial accountability.

Other proposals included upgrading the Sunamganj-Sylhet road to a national highway, creating policies for battery-operated rickshaws, installing ETPs in municipalities to combat environmental pollution, building lightning protection shelters in riverine areas, constructing a 250-bed hospital to improve healthcare under the education and health budgets, and finalizing policies to regulate fees in educational institutions.

Increased Power Distribution and Benefits

On Tuesday (February 18), during the closing day of the conference, after discussions with over 20 ministries including Defense, Agriculture, and Tourism, a proposal to increase the power of district administration compared to local governments was accepted. This includes transferring recruitment and transfer powers to the DCs, providing ration and risk allowances to field administration workers, increasing hill allowances in the hill districts, and introducing mobile-internet allowances.

New Expectations

The annual DC conference serves as an important platform for coordination between top-level administration and field-level officers. This year's conference was crucial in determining the role of district commissioners in areas such as development, law enforcement, corruption prevention, and public service improvement.

According to stakeholders, this first conference of the interim government has opened a new horizon for coordination between field administration and central policymakers. However, the success of the proposed reforms will determine whether this becomes a historic milestone. There is optimism that DCs will be able to create a corruption-free and transparent administration as per public expectations.

Criticism and Challenges

Among the 381 decisions made at last year’s District Commissioner Conference, only 46% have been implemented, raising concerns about the pace of the development process.

On the other hand, civil society has raised warnings about the risks of power centralization, and there is criticism regarding proposals to reduce the powers of locally elected representatives.