Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration Md Ismail Zabihullah yesterday called for making optimal use of every working hour of the state and every penny collected from taxpayers.
He said that one of the administration’s primary objectives should be to improve the quality of public services through the efficient use of time, financial resources, and manpower in government operations.
He made these remarks as the chief guest at a workshop organized to mark National Public Service Day 2026 at the Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy in the capital.
Public Administration Ministry in collaboration with the Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Acad-emy organized it.
The Prime Minister’s adviser said that before taking any step, officials must consider its necessity and its impact on public welfare. He noted that the time has come to evaluate every meeting, training session, and workshop.
“We must assess how much money we spent, how many working hours we invested, and how much pub-lic service improved as a result. This accountability should become an integral part of the administrative process,” he said.
He further said that the global landscape is changing rapidly. A multicolor world order, geopolitical competition, shifts in global supply chains, the climate crisis, and the expansion of artificial intelligence are creating new challenges, he said.
Zabiullah said although these challenges cannot be completely avoided, their impact can be significantly mitigated through an efficient administration, prudent diplomacy, and a civil service driven by patriot-ism.
He urged government officials to remain vigilant, forward-looking, and adaptable to change.
He also called upon all officials to follow the Prime Minister’s example of discipline and patriotism in carrying out their duties.
Additionally, he instructed officials to move away from the culture of avoiding responsibility and to make decisions on official files in accordance with the Delegation of Financial Power, he said.
Emphasizing the role of government officials in implementing the government’s election manifesto, he said that the administration is the key driving force behind fulfilling every government commitment.
The successful implementation of the manifesto will benefit not only officials and their families but also every citizen of the country, he said.
He added that Bangladesh now has a historic opportunity to build a modern, efficient, and people-oriented state.
At the workshop, the adviser stressed the importance of developing implementation indicators (trackers) that integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the government’s election manifesto.
He noted that countries such as the United Kingdom and Singapore have strengthened policy implemen-tation and accountability by converting government commitments into measurable indicators.
He called for engaging skilled IT experts and data analytics firms, if necessary, to develop similar effec-tive trackers in Bangladesh.
He said that the future of public administration will be data-driven and technology-based. Digital plat-form-based monitoring systems can further enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability.
The stronger the integration between people and technology, the more effective and productive adminis-trative functions will become, he said .
He also urged officials to build sincere relationships with the public and to take care of their physical and mental well-being, noting that only healthy, honest, and well-balanced officials can provide the highest standard of public service.
Textiles and Jute Secretary Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury attended the workshop as the special guest with Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy Rector Dr Mohammad Altaf-Ul-Alam chaired the workshop in the chair.
Mohammad Monirul Islam, Additional Secretary (CPT) of the Ministry of Public Administration, deliv-ered the keynote paper while senior officials from the relevant ministries and trainee officers of the academy were also present at the event.
